DETROIT – Police are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a man they suspect sexually assaulted a 44-year-old woman who was jogging on the Dequindre Cut in Detroit.
The assault happened about 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 26 near Gratiot Avenue.
The woman was jogging when a man ran up behind her and grabbed her buttocks, police said.
Police said the woman was armed with a knife and swung it at the man before he ran away.
The man is described as black, 25-30 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall and about 150 pounds. He is clean-shaven, has a dark complexion, and was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, black pants, and blue-and-yellow gym shoes.
"I think it's important to take precautions, whatever you do, wherever you do," London Allen said. "Just the fact that there's a good police presence here makes it good."
Police said it was raining the morning the woman was grabbed and the man appeared to be posing as a jogger in his gray hoodie.
Residents said they were shocked to hear about the attack because they go down to the Cut and enjoy the paved trail and the graffiti art without feeling threatened. They said the security cameras are a big reason they feel so safe.
"There's a lot of people down here, and everybody seems so friendly," Sue Skolnik said. "People are always saying hi and you feel really safe. It's weird."
The cameras also caught another angle as the man entered the Cut. Police are hopeful the cameras will help put the man in handcuffs very soon.
"I feel safer knowing they have cameras and they have ways of monitoring it, and yes, that will keep me coming down here," Nancy Wade said.
"You've just got to be smart and I guess there's these things here to help you," Michelle Reis said. "And yeah, I have these guys here to protect me."
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Detroit police sex crimes unit at 313-596-1950 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.
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