St. Paul police search for man who sexually assaulted Mac-Groveland homeowner during break-in
ST. PAUL, Minn. — St. Paul police are sharing details of a rare crime near several college campuses.
Police say a man forced his way inside a home early Monday morning off South Snelling and Stanford avenues. He robbed the homeowner before pulling out a weapon and sexually assaulting her.
"This has caused a lot of anxiety for people in the area and we completely understand that, and we're working as hard as we can to find the person who's responsible," said Sgt. Mike Ernster.
Police say the attack took place between 4:30 a.m. and 6 a.m. The victim said she first heard someone pounding on the side door.
"It is very rare that it happens, and because of that this person is very dangerous and we want to get them off the streets," Ernster said. "We need to identify them as fast as we can."
Police threw every resource available into securing the scene and then searching for the man responsible.
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"All the resources that go into a homicide went into this, and it's all done with the sole purpose of finding who's responsible," he said. "But we also need the public's help."
Officers went door to door, asking homeowners if they heard anything or if their doorbell cameras captured images that could be useful in the investigation.
"We used K9s, we used drones, our investigators started canvassing the area, we're doing everything we can to find the suspect," he said. "But unfortunately we have not made an arrest yet."
Police describe the suspect as an African American man between 25 and 35 years old with a dark complexion. He has a scar from his breastbone to his belt line. The victim says he was wearing a black T-shirt, black pants with a zipper on the right leg and thick-soled black shoes.
Anyone with information about this attack is asked to call investigators at 651-266-5685.
Sexual assaults by strangers are rare. According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, eight out of 10 rapes are committed by someone known to the victim.
