PALMETTO BAY, Fla. – Miami-Dade County police are investigating an attempted sexual battery after a woman said she was attacked walking down the street Wednesday morning by a man who attempted to rip off her clothes at knifepoint.
It happened around 10:30 a.m. in the area of Southwest 91st Avenue and 168th Street in Palmetto Bay.
The woman told investigators she was walking west along 168th Street when the man came out of a wooded area, grabbed her, pulled her into the bushes and began ripping at her shirt.
She was able to fight him off and make it to a police substation. The woman, who is said to be in her 30s, suffered cuts and scrapes but is otherwise physically OK, investigators say.
“As he was dragging the victim he was trying to remove her shirt, and obviously a physical altercation ensued, and the victim was very fortunate that she was able to get away from that individual,” said Miami-Dade police Det. Argemis Colome.
Detectives have been searching for the man, saying he is tall, thin and was wearing all black, including a black ski mask.
“We have our special victims bureau, sex battery unit that is here on scene with our detectives that have been canvassing the area,” Colome said. “We are talking about a person who committed an armed sex battery, so we do consider him armed and dangerous.”
The incident frightened residents in the area.
“It is really scary and concerning,” resident Frank Menjivar said. “It actually gave me chills.”
If you have any information that might help detectives, you are urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.