Investigators Tuesday tried to track down a man who may be linked to a sexual assault and physical attack against women in August in the University Park area of South Los Angeles.
The incidents happened at the Ralph’s grocery store on Vermont Avenue near USC on Aug. 25, 2024, the Los Angeles Police Department said.
The man appeared to follow a 32-year-old woman around the store before walking up behind her and inappropriately grabbing her from behind, the LAPD said.
As the suspect was leaving the store, he punched an elderly woman in the chest before taking off in a car driven by someone else, police added.
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The man is described to be a man at around age 30 with black hair, 5 feet 11 inches and weight around 230 pounds. He was wearing thick glasses and a burgundy windbreak with the “Wake & Bake” logo on the back at the time of the incident, according to the LAPD.
Police believe the man, who ran away in a two-door white sedan with a block hood and spoiler on the trunk, may have assaulted other women before.
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“The residents of Los Angeles, our friends and family members, should be free from this behavior,” said Detective Robert Smey, a Southwest Division Sexual Assault Investigator, “I encourage anyone with information about the suspect’s identification to come forward.”
People with information were urged to contact LAPD’s Southwest Division, Sexual Assault Detectives, at 323-290-2976.
