Victim Of Alleged Attempted Rape In College Point Speaks On Attack
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A woman was speaking out Thursday, after she fought off a man who allegedly tried to rape her in College Point, Queens.
As CBS2's Esha Ray reported, the woman said she was doing fine on Thursday, but was still shaken up. She said she was on her way to a 7-Eleven when she was attacked by the stranger.
Around 4:45 a.m. Wednesday, the suspect followed the 51-year-old woman, who remains anonymous, along 121st Street near 23rd Avenue before approaching her from behind, police said. He told her he had a gun, demanded drugs and said he was going to rape her, police said.
The suspect dragged the woman into the backyard of a residential building, where she fought him off and yelled for help, police said.
Despite a disability she says she had from recovering from cancer, the woman fought to stay on her feet.
"I said if I get on the ground, or he gets on top of me -- that's it, it's over." she told 1010 WINS' Glenn Schuck. "So I just was determined to keep myself standing."
Woman fought off rapist in this alley in Queens. Hear brave victims account on #1010wins pic.twitter.com/hQsicRtUPG
— glenn schuck (@glennschuck) June 9, 2016
The victim said all she could think about as she fought her attacker was her children.
"All I'm thinking of is my children," she said. "And I can't have my children find me like this."
For resident Mark Flores, who lives near where attack occurred, the incident hit close to home.
"I have my wife walking at night coming home from work and I don't think it's safe," Flores told CBS2's Ray.
For others, it was surprising the man was daring enough to try to assault the woman at that hour, due to the usual amount of traffic from people trying to catch the Q65 in the area.
"You have to be vigilant stay focused, make sure no ones following me and just stay safe," one resident said.
The suspect was described as a Hispanic male between the ages of 23 and 25, standing 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing 180 pounds, with a tattoo of a cross and Jesus on his right arm. He was last seen wearing a white tank top, dark colored jeans and yellow work boots.
Anyone with information was asked to call the NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS or (888) 57-PISTA for Spanish, log onto the Crime Stoppers website, or text tips to 274637 (CRIMES) and enter TIP577