https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2016-04-20/attempted-sexual-assault-in-north-austin/

Attempted Sexual Assault in North Austin

By Sarah Marloff, April 20, 2016, 6:15pm, Newsdesk

Another attempted sexual assault occurred in North Austin on Sun., April 17.

Just 10 minutes before noon, a woman was grabbed from behind while walking through her apartment complex on Taylor Draper Lane. The suspect ran off after the woman screamed.

The Austin Police Department, which held a Tuesday press conference on the matter, believes this attack is connected to the string of seven sexual assaults that occurred between December 27 and February 8, all of which occurred in the northern part of the city between the hours of 6:30am to 9pm. Though Senior Public Information Officer Destiny Winston could only speak to Sunday’s attempted assault, she did confirm that APD believes all eight assaults are linked.

A sketch of the assailant has not yet been made, however they do have a detailed description of the suspect. The man they’re looking for is thin and in his mid-20s, with short brown hair, dark eyes, and weighs approximately 155 pounds. They believe he is either a white or Latino male, who wears a mask that covers part of his face. “He was last seen wearing lighter colored jeans with a dark grey short sleeve shirt and possibly wearing or carrying a grey long sleeved or lightweight sweatshirt,” according to an APD press release. Though Winston did not release any information about Sunday’s victim, APD Lieutenant Gena Curtis has stated previously that the other seven survivors were between the ages of 23 and 33.

Concerning the two-month hiatus between attacks, Winston says that it is typical for sexual assault cases to “go dormant for a while, and then can occur again, for reasons we don’t know.” APD is asking the community for any and all information, and urging people to be extra vigilant.

“These attacks are happening in common areas,” says Winston. “Parking lots, apartment complexes.” She suggests walking with one’s head up at all times (as opposed to looking down at a phone), have the volume turned down on headphones – or leaving one earbud out, and keeping at least one hand free at all times. “Tell at least one friend or family member of your expected route and arrival time,” she adds.

Remaining alert is an important safety measure, however it’s crucial to remember that sexual assault (of any kind) is never the victim’s fault.

APD encourages anyone with information about this case to contact 911 immediately. Please reference the case number, which is 16-1080749.