MANHATTAN — A woman sent a would-be rapist running when she scratched his face as he attacked her in an elevator at an East Harlem apartment building, police said.
The 28-year-old victim and a man she didn't know walked into an apartment building near East 124th Street and Third Avenue at the same time and entered the elevator at 9:40 a.m. Tuesday, NYPD officials said.
As the elevator doors closed, the stranger started to grab and grope the woman, according to police.
When the elevator doors reopened in the lobby and woman tried to flee, the suspect shoved her to the ground and continued grabbing her, trying to pry off her clothes, police said.
The woman fought back, scratching the attacker's face in the struggle, according to police.
The man fled and hadn't been arrested as of Thursday morning, police said.
He was described as in his 40s and was last seen dressed in all black, officials said.
Anyone with information can call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS.