Police Hunt For Attempted Rapist Who Attacked Woman In Harlem: NYPD

HARLEM, NY — A man tried to rape a woman inside an East Harlem store, on Sunday afternoon, police said.

The brutal assault unfolded about 12 p.m. on Sunday when a woman was approached by a stranger inside of a store near Madison Avenue and East 108 Street, police said.

The attacker — an as-yet-unidentified man — came up behind the woman before throwing her to the ground, threatening her with a knife and tried to remove her clothing to assault her, police said.

Following the attempted rape, the man ran from the store toward Park Avenue with three cellphones and $1,000 in cash, which had been stolen from the store, an NYPD spokesperson said.

The victim went to a local area hospital by private means, officials said.

Police released photographs on Monday showing the suspect.

Authorities have provided a description of the man as being roughly between 25 and 30 years old, standing at around 5 feet 8 inches tall and having a slim build. He was last spotted wearing black clothing.

People with information are asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). They can also submit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, or on Twitter @NYPDTips.