Police Searching For 2 Suspects In South LA Kidnapping, Sexual Assault
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Police are looking for two men who grabbed a woman off the street in South Los Angeles and attacked her for hours.
CBS2's Serene Branson reports detectives were at 77th Street in South L.A. Wednesday working a brutal kidnapping and sexual assault case.
Authorities are worried the suspects could strike again due to the brazen nature of the crime.
LAPD officers say a woman was attacked while walking in the area of Normandie Avenue and 54th Street in the early hours of Tuesday morning, when she was kidnapped and forced into a blue 1990s compact car.
Police say the suspects drove the woman around for hours and took turns assaulting her while the other stood guard.
The victim, 38, did not know her attackers, police say.
The victim was left naked and injured at 52nd Place and Main Street, where she was able to escape and alert police.
"This is really a travesty that anybody... is taken off the street like that and sexually assaulted. It's horrible," Lt. Andy Neiman said.
Stephanie Mesones of the East L.A. Women's Center, which helps victims of rape and women with HIV and provides a 24-hour crisis hotline, says violence against women remains a serious problem in the area.
"Violence against women is an issue - something that's common. It's not unheard of for us," Mesones said.
Police say they are looking for two Hispanic males, 5'6" to 5'8" and approximately 27 years of age. One of the suspects has a tattoo of a tear drop under his left eye.
Anyone with additional information is asked to call Detectives Durden or Martinez at (213) 473-4807 or (213) 473-4809.