2 Attempted Assaults In Aloha: Sheriff

ALOHA, OR — Washington County Sheriff's detectives are investigating two separate attempted assaults in the Aloha area that occurred over the past week. At this time, it's unknown whether the attempted assaults are related, though both were apparently similar in nature.

The first attempted assault was reported Aug. 31. According to sheriff's officials, an 11-year-old girl was walking to school near Southwest 192nd Avenue and Southwest Farmington Road around 9 a.m. when a man approached her and asked to borrow her cell phone. The girl reportedly refused.

In response to the girl's refusal, the man apparently tried to grab the girl's backpack — but he was thwarted by a passerby who shouted and caused him to flee, officials said.

The man was described as roughly 6 feet tall with tan skin, though police did not specify an ethnicity. He was reportedly wearing a camouflage hoodie and dark jeans with "Peace" written down one of the legs and a peace symbol on the knee. The man's face was also reportedly hidden by a yellow bandana adorned with more peace symbols.

On Sept. 2, a woman who was walking her dog in the 5000-block of Southwest 173rd Avenue reported being accosted by an unknown assailant. The woman said is was around 10:30 p.m. when a man came from behind and grabbed her. When she screamed, however, the man let go and ran off.

The suspect was described again as roughly 6 feet tall with tan skin, but this time he was wearing dark clothing and white shoes.

(Sign up for our free daily newsletters and Breaking News Alerts for the Hillsboro Patch)

Sheriff's officials said they don't know whether the incidents are related or whether they were even perpetrated by the same person. The locations of both incidents are just more than one mile apart.

The respective investigations are ongoing.

Anyone with information that could help these investigations is asked to call the Washington County non-emergency dispatch line at 503-629-0111.

Image via Shutterstock