Viral video questions how Hurst police responded to sexual assault case
HURST, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Police in Hurst responded Wednesday to a viral video criticizing the department for how it has handled a sexual assault investigation.
A 28-year-old woman posted the video on TikTok this week, with only the city logo visible, saying police would not act on her case even though she had been able to provide them phone messages showing an admission of guilt and apologies from the man she said assaulted her.
The post was amplified by users on the social media site, with one re-posting receiving more than 100,000 views, and encouraging people to call the city.
In a statement, police said they understood the public concern, that they were actively investigating the case, but also appreciated people understanding not all the facts had been made public.
The woman, who CBS 11 is not identifying due to the nature of the case, also said during an emotional conversation with the detective on the case weeks after she first reported it, he asked her how what happened could be rape, if she didn't feel anything. The woman believes it was a reference to a physical ailment that limits sensation in the lower half of her body to only feeling pressure. A friend who said he was with her at the department that day, backed up her account. Statements from police didn't address the allegation.
"I was going to get ignored," she said. "It was going to get swept under the rug."
She said she reached out to other law enforcement agencies, and had a victim advocate assigned to her by Hurst police. When there was no movement on the case though, she said she decided wanted to say something about it.
"You don't have women report often enough. You don't have lesbians report often enough and you certainly don't have cripples, cause what's the point?" she asked. "This is what happens. I did the TikTok to get my voice back because I was robbed of it."
She did not expect the post to get the attention it has, and said she had not heard from police since it happened.
Police told CBS 11 the case remains open, that they have done interviews and gathered evidence.
"The Hurst Police Department will continue to protect alleged victims of assault and will aggressively seek the prosecution of all offenders," police wrote in an email.