NJ Woman Beaten, Sexually Assaulted At Gunpoint, Police Say
HIGHLAND PARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- New Jersey authorities are searching for a man accused of beating and sexually assaulting a 36-year-old woman Sunday evening.
Police say the woman was walking on Harper Avenue in Highland Park when the suspect confronted her at gunpoint and forced her into the basement of a nearby apartment building.
Once inside, police say the man, believed to be in his mid-20s, punched the woman several times before sexually assaulting her.
Authorities say police were called to the scene at around 5:30 p.m. after the victim fled to a neighbor's home following the attack.
That resident did not want to speak on camera but told CBS2 the woman was standing at her door with blood all over her face.
The woman was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick in stable condition, authorities said.
"It's really unsettling Highland Park is known to be a very pedestrian-friendly type of town," resident Adrian Cuervo said. "People walk everywhere, people walking their dogs, walking to temple, walking their kids -- it really gives you pause."
Police say the suspect was last seen wearing a red T-shirt, black jacket and grey sweatpants. He is believed to be around 5'7" tall with black hair and a medium build.
Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact Detective Sean McGraw at the Highland Park Police Department at (723) 572-3800, or Detective Bitterman of the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office at (732) 745-4401.
