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Caught On Video: Attempted Sexual Assault Suspect Forcing Woman Into Garage

WEST HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA) — Authorities are looking for a suspect allegedly responsible for assaulting a woman in the Fairfax district before breaking into another woman's West Hollywood home less than a mile away.

Attempted Sex Assault 2
Attempted sexual assault suspect seen here walking away Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022. (credit: Melrose Action)

"We're scared, I'll be honest with you. Yesterday was a hell of a day," said Melrose Action Board Member Ana Benko.

As a block leader and board member of the local citizens public safety group, Benko was making sure residents along her street are safe and staying informed after an attempted sexual assault there Tuesday afternoon.

Melrose Action released security video showing the suspect forcing the victim towards the garage of a home in the 800 block of Vista Street in the Melrose District at around 12:30 p.m.

"He grabbed her by the neck, took her to that house, between the car and the trash cans and, tried to rape her," Benko told CBSLA.

Fortunately, the woman was able to fight the suspect off and break away. She screamed for help and you can see in the video that the male suspect later walked away.

"Thank God she was strong, she fought," Benko said.

It wasn't long though before investigators believe the same man went to the 7600 block of Hampton Avenue, a half mile away in West Hollywood, where he tried to get into another woman's apartment after she answered his knock at the door. That victim's neighbor told CBSLA what happened next.

"I think he had a glove on and that's when he tried to put his glove over her mouth to silence her, but she screamed and that's when my neighbor heard and my downstairs neighbor heard, and her screaming scared him away," said Laurenn Thomas.

Sexual Assault Suspect WeHo

Benko again credited the second victim with being brave enough to fight the suspect off.

Both victims gave similar descriptions of the suspect. Investigators said he is a Black man in his 30's, who was wearing a striped shirt and light pants and was last seen carrying a bag. He is believed to be homeless.

"I don't want anymore victims," said Benko. "I just want this person to get arrested and if he needs mental help, get the mental help he needs."

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Special Victims Bureau and the Los Angeles Police Department are investigating the cases, and urge anyone with information about the attempted assaults or who might be able to identify the man in the video to contact authorities.

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