Person of interest in custody in sex assault of girl, 13
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Two teenage girls were targeted in a matter of 24 hours as they got off SEPTA's Broad Street Line. Police say both girls were sexually assaulted as they were on their way to school.
Police are looking to see if the cases are related.
Police say the latest attack happened around 7:45 a.m. Friday as a 13-year-old girl was getting off the subway near Broad and Race Streets.
"This male indicated to this female that he had a gun," Philadelphia Police Captain James Kearney said.
Police say the suspect seen in this surveillance photo forced the 13-year-old into a stairwell inside this parking garage on Cherry Street in Center City.
Police announced Friday afternoon a person of interest was taken into custody in this case.
Meanwhile, police also released surveillance video after another attack that happened Thursday morning. In that case, a 15-year-old girl tried fighting off her attacker after getting off at the Broad-Ridge Spur.
"He continued to follow her above the SEPTA platform out onto the street and forced her into an apartment where he did sexually assault her," Kearney said.
SVU is now actively investigating both cases and says both victims notified officials at school about what happened.
"These kids do nothing but tried to go to school and they're being preyed upon so we need help," Kearney said.
Police say there is no indication that the victims and the suspects knew each other.