Creep attacking women in the area? (UPDATED)

UPDATE Thursday August 9, 2012 2:35PM: The Richmond Police have released a statement: At approximately 8 p.m. on Monday, Richmond Police responded to a call for an assault in the 300 block of North Davis Avenue. A female jogger told officers that a man grabbed her. Police are still looking for the offender, who is […]

August 9, 2012; 2:30 PM • by Fan of the Fan

UPDATE Thursday August 9, 2012 2:35PM:

The Richmond Police have released a statement:

At approximately 8 p.m. on Monday, Richmond Police responded to a call for an assault in the 300 block of North Davis Avenue.

A female jogger told officers that a man grabbed her. Police are still looking for the offender, who is described as a white male in his late 20s to early 30s with an athletic build and short hair. He was last seen wearing a navy blue t-shirt and navy blue baseball cap.

There was at least one similar incident that occurred in the Fan neighborhood last year.

Police advise citizens to always pay attention to their surroundings when walking or jogging; not to wear headphones; and to quickly report any suspicious persons or situations they feel are unusual. They can do so by calling the Department’s non-emergency number, 646-5100.

Anyone who has any information about this incident or this offender is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 780-1000 or the Department’s non-emergency number, 646-5100. Citizens may also text Crime Stoppers at 274637, using the key word “ITip” followed by your tip. Both Crime Stoppers methods are anonymous.

ORIGINAL Wednesday August 8, 2012, 9:22PM:

There is a message being passed around Facebook today detailing an attempted at Davis and Grove. I have been unable to verify any of it’s content, though I have contacted the Richmond Police for information. If anyone knows who originally posted this, please ask them to contact me at murden@gmail.com.

ATTN RICHMOND LADIES! There’s a creep in the fan/museum district sexually assaulting ladies in broad daylight. Read this and share.

REPOST:
To any girl or anyone who knows a girl living or working in the fan/museum district…

I don’t want to scare anyone, but last night at around 7pm I was out on a run and was sexually assaulted. I had just turned onto Davis from Grove heading towards Hanover. A guy ran up behind me, grabbed my pants and tried to tear them off. I screamed at him and grabbed on to my pants as well, fortunately being able to hold onto them stronger than he could pull off. I fell because of the struggle as a Jeep started to drive by and thankfully stopped. He got scared (whether because the car had shown up, from my screaming, or his lack of success I don’t know) and started to run off. I got up to run after him but slipped on some gravel, scraping my hands and knees on the cement. By that time he had already started down the alley (in between Hanover and Grove).

The Jeep stopped as I got to the alley and they asked if I was okay. I told them I had just been attacked and continued to chase him down that alley (at this point he had already gotten to the next block down portion of the alley). The Jeep pulled into the alley, letting a girl out and the Jeep continued to try and follow the attacker down the alleys. Unfortunately at this point, the driver of the Jeep couldn’t tell where the attacker had gone (down a side street, hidden, gone into a backyard). He never said a single word to me.

I called the police and 4 or 5 police cars showed up. Once they got a description all but one left to look for the guy. The one officer left took the rest of my report and told me that they aren’t sure if its the same incident, but a man of a similar description has been attacking girls for the past couple months in the Boulevard area. He even did it once in Carytown. Always in broad daylight too….

I think the same guy may have been following me earlier on my run when I was on Hanover. I noticed someone walking fairly close and at a similar speed to me for about a block, which made me nervous so I cut onto grove where I thought I had “shaken” them. I’m not sure if its the same person, but it was someone that looked similar.

The guy was white, about 5’11” – 6’, more muscular build (although out of shape,) looked to be in either his late 20s or early 30s, bald head with what was left on the sides shaved very close, smaller eyes, no facial hair, no tattoos, no piercings…. a pretty average looking guy. Looked like he may have been a “bro” type guy. He was wearing a t-shirt with an athletic decal on front, slightly baggier lighter medium colored jeans, and a navy baseball cap.

I am very thankful that the situation didn’t get as worse as it could’ve been. I’m really surprised that it happened at all, considering it was bright daylight and there were tons of other people and cars out. The police suspect that he either lives or works in the fan/museum district area, so please PLEASE be careful and aware of your surroundings and report anything suspicious.