Man Wanted For Allegedly Grabbing Woman At UCLA
WESTWOOD (CBSLA.com) — UCLA police asked for help Wednesday to identify a man they say sexually battered a woman whom he had asked for directions.
According to the UCLA Police Department, the crime happened at about 1:30 p.m. Friday.
,Babak Rahimzadeh, 54, was identified as the man who approached the victim near the third-floor restroom of the Public Affairs Building police said. He allegedly asked for directions, then grabbed and sexually battered the woman.
CBS2's Amy Johnson said the victim, a staffer, was shaken up but not physically hurt.
She spoke to students shocked something like could happen so close to home.
"It kinda creeps me out," said Jeree Pucan.
Prior to the incident, the suspect was allegedly acting so suspiciously a male staff member took his picture.
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And when a policeman saw the photo, he remembered the suspect from another incident on campus a year ago.
Police say Rahimzahday asked a female staff member for directions and when she turned to walk away he grabbed her.
After reports of the attack it was a vigilant officer who recognized Rahimzadeh from a year ago.
"He had been on campus. I believe a year ago, In a building on campus and we'd gotten calls about a suspicious person and in a building he shouldn't have been in so he was contacted, warned,not to be on campus at that time." said UCLA Police Lt. Mark Littlefoot.
In 2009, a man with the same name as Rahimzadeh and a matching mug shot -- was arrested in and accused in four similar sex crimes- in Toronto -- including two involving teenage girls.
Rahimzadeh was described as Middle Eastern, 5-feett-8 inches tall, 185 pounds, with brown hair.
Anyone with information about his whereabouts can call UCLA police at (310) 825-1491 or Detective Chobanian at (310) 825-9371.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
