BROOKLYN — A woman fought off a man who shoved her to the ground and punched her as he tried to rape her about a block from Prospect Park on Sunday, police said.
The 34-year-old woman was walking past 586 16th St., between Prospect Park Southwest and 11th Avenue, about 3:50 a.m. when the man crept up behind her, lifted her dress and pulled at her underwear, NYPD officials said.
(This video was released by the NYPD, but edited by DNAinfo to protect the victim's identity.)
The attacker then forced her down and started punching her, according to graphic video released Monday by police.
The woman fought back, appearing to kick her attacker, who then quickly fled.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Bob Boyce described the attack as a "very disturbing case" by a man who may live in the neighborhood.
"You’ll see [in the video] that she’s attacked from behind; a rarity in this city, but nonetheless pretty frightening for everybody," Boyce said at an unrelated press conference Monday. "And she fights him back, she fights pretty hard.
The suspect has curly black hair, in his 20s, stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 180 pounds, police said. He was wearing a blue T-shirt at the time, police said.
There have been two other attempted sexual assaults in or near Prospect Park recently, according to police, but Boyce said he does not believe the attack is part of larger pattern.
He added that there were no words exchanged before or during the assault.
"So it’s a bit of a puzzle,” Boyce said.
On April 20 at about 5:12 a.m. a man threatened a 23-year-old jogger with a knife and told her he was going to rape her inside Prospect Park near the Garfield Place and Prospect Park West entrance, police.
On May 22 at about 4:30 a.m., a man attacked a woman and tried to rape her as she was walking on Second Street between Seventh and Eighth avenues, police said.
Anyone with information on these attacks should contact Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS (8477).
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