NEWS INFORMATION FROM

THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED
City of Harrisburg
King City Government Center
Harrisburg, PA 17101-1678
Telephone: 717.255.3040

FOR IMMEDIATE USE
20 July 2004

SUSPECT SOUGHT IN ATTACK ON WOMAN AT ITALIAN LAKE

Harrisburg, PA – Mayor Stephen R. Reed today announced that Harrisburg Police are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a suspect who sexually assaulted a woman at Italian Lake Park yesterday afternoon.

Reed said the suspect is identified as a white male in his late 20’s or early 30’s, 5’8” tall with a thin build and no facial hair. The suspect’s face is described as narrow, with a crooked nose, small nostrils and very small upper lip, with a jutting Adam’s Apple. He had dark eyebrows and hair on his arms, and also had very dirty hands and fingernails. A composite sketch of the attacker provided by the victim is attached.

The Mayor added that the attacker was wearing a black, possibly fitted baseball cap with no lettering on it that was tightly pulled down over his face. He was wearing a maroon or purple short sleeve shirt with no pockets and a round collar, possibly a t-shirt, and long dark pants that were not jeans. He was also reportedly wearing bike or weightlifting gloves.

Reed said the incident began shortly after 4 p.m. yesterday afternoon when the victim was walking around Italian Lake. She was on the southeast side of the lake when her attacker reportedly grabbed her from behind and drug her into the cover of nearby shrubbery. The suspect threatened the victim with a cutting tool before sexually assaulting her.

The Mayor said the attacker then fled north on foot. The victim, still in shock and disoriented, then crawled for help and police were summoned. Various evidence was recovered at the scene of the incident and is currently undergoing forensics analysis. Police conducted an intensive but unsuccessful search of the area following the incident in an attempt to locate the suspect.

Reed said anyone with any knowledge of the attack or that may have seen the suspect or victim prior to the late afternoon attack are urged to contact Harrisburg Police as soon as possible at (717) 255.3131. The suspect should be considered extremely dangerous and should not be approached under any circumstances.

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