Washington Heights Man Arrested For Attempted Rape, Police Say

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — A Washington Heights man is facing charged for an attempted rape and sexual assault that occurred in front of a neighborhood church, police said.

Xavier Lazu, 20, was arrested Wednesday and charged with attempted rape, criminal sex act and sex abuse, police said. Lazu is accused of grabbing a woman in front of the St. Rose of Lima's Church on West 165th Street between Amsterdam Avenue and St. Nicholas Avenue and threatening her with a knife during a sexual assault, police said.

Lazu ran up from behind his 23-year-old victim early Monday morning, grabbed her and put his hand over her mouth to prevent her from screaming, police said. After dragging the woman behind a nearby building awning, Lazu removed her pants and attempted to rape her, police said. When the man was unable to rape the woman, he forced her to perform oral sex, police said.

The alleged attempted rapist fled the scene when a passerby approached him and the victim, police said. The woman was taken to an area hospital for treatment.

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