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Crime News Breaking News

Harlem Woman Fends Off Would-Be Rapist In Attack Captured On Video

The 22-year-old woman was headed home just before 5 a.m. when the suspect barged into the vestibule and groped her.

By Noah Hurowitz

A New York City woman managed to fight off a would-be rapist over the weekend after he forced his way into her lobby, according to the NYPD.

In a harrowing attack captured on the building’s surveillance camera, the brute followed the woman into her East Harlem lobby early Saturday morning, police said.

The 22-year-old woman was headed home just before 5 a.m. when the suspect barged into the vestibule and groped her, before grabbing her throat and pushing her against a wall in an attempt to rape her, according to an NYPD spokesman.

The woman put up a fight, however, grabbing at her attacker’s throat and kicking him repeatedly in the legs, the video shows. After breaking free of the would-be rapist, she successfully pushed him toward the door and shoved him outside as he continued trying to force his way into the building, according to the video released by police.

After the struggle in the vestibule, the suspect was last seen running away from the building, located on East 128th Street, toward Madison Avenue, police said.

The victim suffered a small cut on her chest during the melee, but refused medical attention at the scene, according to police.

The suspect was described as a man in his early to mid-30s, standing about 6-foot-2 and weighing between 190 and 210 pounds, and was last seen wearing a dark grey sweatsuit, grey and black sneakers, and a grey and blue T-shirt.

Anyone with information on the identity or location of the suspect is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at NYPDCrimeStoppers.com, or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

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