Man Tries To Rape Woman In East Harlem Apartment Lobby, Police Say

EAST HARLEM, NY — The NYPD is trying to identify a man wanted in connection with a sexual assault and attempted rape that occurred in an East Harlem apartment building, police told Patch.

The attempted rape began in the elevator of an apartment building on East 124th Street and Third Avenue around 9:40 a.m. Tuesday morning, police told Patch. A 28-year-old woman entered the elevator and once inside an unknown man began to grope and touch her, police said.

When the elevator arrived at the building lobby the man threw the victim to the ground and tried to remove her clothing, police said. The woman was able to scratch the man in the face during the struggle, which caused the man to bleed, police told Patch.

The attempted rapist fled the building in an unknown direction, police said. The attacker is described as a man in his 40s standing 5-foot-9 and weighing about 180 pounds with a medium complexion, brown eyes and black hair. The man was last seen wearing a black hat, black sneakers, black jacket and black jeans, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).

Photo by NYPD