NYPD: Nearly 7-Foot-Tall Man Sought In Washington Heights Rape
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police are looking for a very tall man who they said forced his way into a Washington Heights apartment and raped a 20-year-old woman.
The suspect, who is approximately 6-foot-9, pushed his way into the apartment on West 163rd Street off Broadway after the victim answered the door around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, 1010 WINS' Carol D'Auria reported.
The suspect raped the victim before running off, police said.
The victim was taken to Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in stable condition.
The suspect is described by police as a Hispanic man between 20 and 25 years old. Police released surveillance images of the suspect in which he is seen wearing black pants and a white shirt with dark horizontal stripes.
The Guardian Angels have also joined in the search for the man, CBS 2's Alice Gainer reported.
"We have about 10 of our members coming. We're gonna give out pictures of the suspect," the Angels' Edward Shelley said.
Residents told D'Auria the neighborhood is very tight knit and no one seemed to recognize the suspect.
"This is a really good neighborhood, you know. I've been living here for more than 40 years. I mean in other words I recognize everybody around here. He don't belong to this area," a man named "Jose" said.
Others were shocked at the brazen crime.
"What around 11:30 at night? That's crazy, it's not that late. There's still people around, there's stores open," a neighbor named "Eric" added. "We have a tight community here. All the neighbors know each other for years."
Residents who live in the building said they're frightened.
"It's shocking to hear that, you know? Because now I'm even more concerned, you know? My wife is pregnant," resident Carlos Perez told Gainer.
"We don't feel safe now," another tenant added. "And you know, there's a lot of young girls living here. Medical students from Presbyterian hospital and they go home late."
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS. The public can also submit their tips to the Crime Stoppers website or by texting tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.
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