Police, Community Group Search For Rapist In Gary
GARY, Ind. (CBS) -- An organization that acts as an advocate for those residents of the Miller Beach community of Gary, Ind., is planning on meeting with the police chief to help find the person who allegedly raped a 68-year-old woman this past weekend.
As WBBM Newsradio's Mary Frances Bragiel reports, members of the Miller Citizens Corporation say they will be proactive in helping find the offender.
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"We will do fliers and things like that. We'll probably try to get a copy of the video, pass out fliers to try to help apprehend the perpetrator," said Miller Citizens Corporation president Eric Reaves.
Around 11:45 p.m. Saturday, the woman was sitting on a bench at the station, at U.S. Route 12 and Lake Street, eating a sandwich and trying to stay dry. The assailant approached the woman, chatted with her, then pulled out a gun as he forced her onto the floor.
The assailant is described as a black male in his mid-20s, wearing a white T-shirt with black lettering on the front and back and white shorts. He was armed with a black handgun and rode east from the station on a dark colored BMX-style bicycle following the attack.
"We're very shocked by it. It's not indicative of this area. I don't think we've ever had a rape here before," Reaves said.
He said his organization has already been in contact with police.
"No witnesses. We are hearing from police that it was off train time. I think she was seeking shelter, so there was nobody else around," Reaves said.
Reaves says his group would like a stronger police presence at the station.
The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.
