Burbank Woman Scares Off Attacker In Attempted Sex Assault: Cops

BURBANK, IL -- A Burbank woman fended off a would-be attacker after he tackled her from behind and tried to sexual assault her, police said in a news release. The woman was attacked as she exited her vehicle late Sunday evening.

According to Burbank police, the woman was returning home around 11:15 p.m. in the 7800 block of Laporte Avenue. The woman saw an African-American male walking northbound on Laporte and passing her. As she got out of her car, the man started running toward her, police said. She started to run in the opposite direction when the man tackled her from behind and tried to sexually her.

The woman began yelling and trying to fend off her attacker, police said. She was able to activate the vehicle alarm on her key fob. The noise drew the attention of a nearby neighbor who heard a woman in distress and came to her aid. As the neighbor went to help the woman, the man fled the scene northbound on Laporte toward 78th Street. The man was last seen disappearing through a fence opening of some businesses on 78th Street.

Police combed the area but weren’t able to find the purported attacker. The woman was taken to area hospital where she was treated and released.

The suspect is described as a male black in his early twenties with a dark complexion and short/shaved hair, between 5-feet-5-inches and 5-feet-7-inches tall, and 130 to 150 pounds. He was wearing a dark colored hooded sweatshirt, sports shorts with a gray stripe, and possibly carrying a backpack.

A similar attack occurred Oct. 10, 2017, when a woman was attacked near 81st Street and Sayre in Burbank. Two other incidents where women were accosted by a stranger were reported on June 12 and June 13, 2017, in Palos Hills and Worth. In all three incidents, the women were able to fend off their attacker or scare him off when others intervened.

Division Chief Mike Dudlo, of the Burbank Police Department, said it was still too early in the investigation to know if the incidents were related, but “we’re looking into it.”

Police have released a composite sketch of the suspect. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Burbank Police Investigation Unit at 708-924-7300.