BY THE VILLAGE SUN | Police said a man riding an e-bike sexually assaulted a young woman on the sidewalk in the East Village early Saturday morning, forcing her to perform a sex act on him.
One hour before the East Village attack, the same suspect sexually assaulted a 23-year-old woman on the Upper West Side, above, police said. (Video courtesy N.Y.P.D.)
According to cops, at 5 a.m. on July 16, a 28-year-old woman was walking at Avenue A and E. Fourth Street when a stranger on an e-bike rode up to her, hopped off his bike and grabbed her. Stating he had a knife, he pulled the woman to the ground. He then displayed his genitals to the victim before forcing her to perform oral sex.
The weapon was never shown.
The attacker fled eastbound on E. Fourth Street on the e-bike.
The victim suffered scrapes on her body and was taken by E.M.S. ambulance to Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital for a medical examination.
Police are linking another sexual assault that occurred Uptown one hour earlier to the same e-bike-riding suspect. Cops said that at 4 a.m. the same morning, a 23-year-old woman was walking at Central Park West and 82nd Street when a stranger approached her from behind and pulled her down to the ground.
After a struggle, the man held the victim down and digitally penetrated her genital area. He rushed away on foot, and was seen shortly afterward heading southbound on Central Park West on an e-bike.
The victim suffered scrapes about her body and was transported by E.M.S. to Mount Sinai Morningside for a medical examination.
Police provided a surveillance video of the suspect attacking the woman in the first incident on the Upper West Side. The clip shows him weaving around right behind the woman on his bike before the assault. The man is seen dressed all in black, with his head apparently covered by a hood, on a dark bike.
Police ask that anyone with information call the N.Y.P.D.’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Tips can also be submitted on the Crime Stoppers Web site at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or on Twitter at @NYPDTips. Tips can result in cash rewards. All tips are strictly confidential.
Bottom line: Women should be ARMED.