Police searching for suspect in attempted rape of high schooler

By Wire Services

Story Published: Mar 29, 2009 at 3:45 AM PDT

Story Updated: Mar 29, 2009 at 3:45 AM PDT

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Police asked Wednesday for the public's help to find a young man who tried to rape a 10th-grader, who stayed late at her Reseda school and was attacked while waiting for her parents to pick her up.

The 15-year-old student, whose name was withheld, was targeted March 19 about 6 p.m. outside the Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies, said Officer Ana Aguirre of the Los Angeles Police Department's Media Relations Section.

Her attacker grabbed her from behind and dragged her into some bushes, where he beat her and attempted to sexually assault her, according to police, who said the girl fought back and escaped.

"This was a very brazen assault,'' said LAPD Deputy Chief Michel Moore.

The victim was injured in her struggle with the attacker, but did not require overnight hospitalization, authorities said.

Police described the suspect as a stocky Hispanic male between 18 and 20 years old, 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-11 inches tall, with a shaved head. He wore a white T-shirt, dark jeans and possibly white shoes.

At a news conference at the West Valley LAPD Station, Moore released surveillance video footage of a man who police are interested in speaking to, but who may or may not be the suspect.

A witness at the scene saw a man flee after the attack in a silver Volkswagen, but it was not immediately clear if he was the suspect, Aguirre said.

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