Police chief: Ann Arbor sex assault could be related to 6 previous attacks
This story is being updated. Previous story: Woman sexually assaulted on South First Street in Ann Arbor
A sexual assault on a woman on South First Street early Tuesday morning could be related to 6 other attacks on women in Ann Arbor in July, Police Chief Barnett Jones said.
But Jones also said that 7 weeks have passed since the last attack in July and it's too early in the investigation to say whether the attacks are linked.
Ann Arbor Police Chief Barnett Jones, shown at a press conference in July following several sexual assaults in the city, says the latest incident could be related to those earlier incidents.
Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com
Jones said the attack could be related to the others because of the time it occurred, the description of the attacker's skin color and the way the victim was approached.
About 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, a 20-year-old Ann Arbor woman was walking south on a sidewalk in the 400 block of South First Street, when a man walked up behind her, police said. He grabbed her arm and then her waist and fondled her chest and groin areas, before she broke free, police said. The man then ran away, heading north, Jones said.
The attacker was described as white or Hispanic with darker skin and a medium build and height. He was wearing a baseball cap pulled down in front, police said. He had lighter color hair coming out of the back of the cap and was not clean shaven. Jones said the victim did not get a chance to look at the man's face. The victim reported the attack about 4 p.m. Tuesday.
Ann Arbor police continue to sift through more than 600 tips. After the first 6 attacks between July 15 and July 26, a multi-jurisdictional working group was set up to investigate. The group comprises the Ann Arbor Police Department, University of Michigan Department of Public Safety, Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department, Michigan State Police and FBI. Jones said today that another agency is now involved, but he declined to say which one.
He is asking the community for help and encouraging anyone who sees suspicious activity to call police.
"The community is frustrated," he said. "The police department is frustrated because we haven't caught him yet, because we take pride in solving crimes. We want this guy. We want to catch him and we need help."
Anyone with information can call the Ann Arbor Police Department's confidential tip line at (734) 794-6939.
Comments
brenda
Sun, Sep 18, 2011 : 8:55 a.m.
It is a scary thing that such person is still roaming around the streets. It makes the people feel unsafe, I hope authorities will put more effort in arresting this man for the peace of mind and safety of the whole community. However few days ago I found this blog with a new safety app. It has allowed me to feel safer all the time: <a href="http://www.radicalparenting.com/2011/08/07/awesome-phone-safety-device-for-teens-safekidzone/" rel='nofollow'>http://www.radicalparenting.com/2011/08/07/awesome-phone-safety-device-for-teens-safekidzone/</a>
Tru2Blu76
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 6:47 a.m.
Some have raised questions about aspects of crime prevention and the safety of this city. Maybe this info will help: 1. The Bureau of Crime Information data shows Ann Arbor to be 48% below the average for violent crimes. 2. <a href="http://www.crimesolutions.gov" rel='nofollow'>www.crimesolutions.gov</a> has a list of municipal anti-crime initiatives aimed at various criminal activities. The header says: "Community Crime Prevention Strategies Community crime prevention programs or strategies target changes in community infrastructure, culture, or the physical environment in order to reduce crime. The diversity of approaches include neighborhood watch, community policing, urban or physical design, and comprehensive or multi-disciplinary efforts. These strategies may seek to engage residents, community and faith-based organizations, and local government agencies in addressing the factors that contribute to the community's crime, delinquency, and disorder." 3. I erred when I wrote: (Ann Arbor's) adult population outnumbers the police by 1000 to 1. I can't find the "adult population" figure but the ratio of total pop. to AAPD personnel is closer to 647:1 Still- that means we have thousands more adults who could help police than there are officers available to fight crime. Neighborhood patrols, according to official sources, seem to be the most effective way to suppress / prevent assaults other than "domestic violence." We do have more than the sexual assaults on our hands. I want to know how to get neighborhood patrols started. Anyone know how this is done? I could volunteer for late night patrols - probably several nights a week.
Kai Petainen
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 4:23 a.m.
stop blaming the police and the art. start blaming the creep who did this.
Nephilim
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 3:41 a.m.
<a href="http://www.annarbor.com/news/trial-begins-for-man-charged-with-murder-in-death-of-bystander-during-shootout/">http://www.annarbor.com/news/trial-begins-for-man-charged-with-murder-in-death-of-bystander-during-shootout/</a> Know your facts Blue before you just spout out random untruths about past investigations. Maybe someday in the future you will contribute something positive towards the police rather than perpetually negative. Sorry you seem to have so much animosity towards them. Ever actually try and talk to them in a civil matter? You might be surprised.
bigblue
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 4:41 a.m.
trust me, I know my "facts".
Cathie
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 11:11 p.m.
This is not to blame the victim, TV news reported that she decided to go for a walk alone at midnight...then didn't report it until 4:00 PM the next day. Ladies, we need to be safer and supportive of each other. I also hope all taxi cab drivers are on high alert.
bigblue
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 12:31 a.m.
i hope taxi drivers are on high alert too! I mean they did catch the last serial rapist you know!
Let me be Frank
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 11 p.m.
How many assaults will it take before AAPD admits that it needs help and an improved strategy to investigate crimes like these? If funds are an issue, absolutely use the funds set aside for art for survellience video cameras to help monitor crime intense areas. But why is a young woman walking alone at 12:01 AM in this area a/k/a Attack Alley"?
NewStart
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 10:51 p.m.
I have a suspect, called it in and I KNOW the Ann Arbor PD did not follow up on it....just sayin'....
ypsipress
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 10:11 p.m.
The attacker was described as white or hispanic. What's up with that? Hispanic? He couldn't be indian, arabic or even vietnese. Come on maaaannnn!
RJA
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 8:27 p.m.
Well Crap, deleted my comment again. I still think it is a good idea for a dude to dress in womens clothing and walk down the streets and try to catch this coward.
paul wiener
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 7:57 p.m.
Let me add one more thing: A2.com owes it to its readers and to the townspeople to forward all comments on topics like this - issues concerning all - directly to the police. Maybe it does this already. Does anybody know? It would be easy to copy the intelligent commentary here and paste it into whatever email addresses are available for a wide variety of A2 officials. It wouldn't be the first time media and law enforcement worked together. One wonders if law enforcement here - and town legislators - are as out of touch with their constituents as they seem to be on a national and state level. You don't have to be a Tea Partier to understand just how poorly you're represented.
julieswhimsies
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 9:45 p.m.
Thank you.
paul wiener
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 7:49 p.m.
One obvious approach to solving this puzzle - used many times on Law & Order - is to stake out/attract the perp with a decoy - a female cop walking out late in downtown A2. How could trying this hurt?
nowayjose
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 11:03 p.m.
Who said they aren't doing that? If they are, do you honestly think they would report it tothe media? Too much tv is a bad thing.
NewStart
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 10:55 p.m.
Resources....
NewStart
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 10:53 p.m.
Resources.
nowayjose
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 10:19 p.m.
Who said this isn't being done? If it is do you honestly think they are going to release that info to the media? Too Much tv is a bad thing
Davidian
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 10:18 p.m.
Because serial rapists often escalate to murder. Ask Erwin Mitchell.
Tru2Blu76
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 7:34 p.m.
Totally ridiculous: the notion that, in a city where everyone goes about in a state of semi-distracted nonchalance - the police are somehow expected to be everywhere, on every street at every hour. Politically based critical opinions: speech is "free" and that applies to the value of these comments. Fact: no matter which city or police department: we are, as individuals, responsible for our own safety and the securing of our persons and property. If you make this city one composed of inviting potential victims, you can't blame the cops for what happens to those who take their own safety so casually. Convince yourselves: no one should be taken by surprise- inside or outside our dwellings. Our right to move about freely is indisputable: but our responsibility is to protect and defend against criminal acts which are "out there" waiting to happen 24/7. Law Enforcement is calling for our help: one of the best things we can do to help them is to be ready - be alert - be tactical at all times when outside our homes. You can avoid victimhood and report suspicious activity. The adult population outnumbers to police by about 1000 to 1. Get busy - right now.
julieswhimsies
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 6:42 p.m.
I will continue to re-post my comments repeatedly. Women need to hear this.
julieswhimsies
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 6:40 p.m.
I'm thinking about the young women who said they felt "comfortable" walking alone at night. Even if this sexual predator(s) is caught, you are NOT SAFE! Never let down your guard. Never walk alone at night. I cannot emphasize this enough. Therefore, I will share with you a part of my story. When I was 16 years of age, I was at a gas station in the evening in a "safe" area of town (Indianapolis) when five men jumped into my car, abducted me, took me to a vacant house, tortured, and repeatedly raped me...holding me for nine hours. I live with this trauma every day of my life. I know my story is extreme, but a sexual assault of any nature is extremely traumatizing to women. I don't care whether she was just groped, or the act was completed. It is traumatizing! Bad people are out there, even in the lovely city of Ann Arbor, and surrounding areas. Women should come together, and set up an escort program, so that no woman needs to walk alone at night. The number of the escort service should be posted everywhere, and women should have this number on their phones. Band together for safety. I know how young women feel. They feel it could never happen to them. It can and does. I'm also wondering whether or not the city has a rape crisis team. Carrying a weapon is a VERY bad idea. Women are often caught by surprise...and their own weapon can be used on them. Take care, ladies. Please! Take care! m re-posting my earlier comments:
julieswhimsies
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 6:38 p.m.
Why is the FBI not involved?! Obviously, the local gendarmes cannot handle this alone!
aataxpayer
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 6:23 p.m.
Given the time of day and location, the victim may have been simply walking from a workplace downtown to the closest available free parking on the Old West Side. Think about that DDA - you're forcing your employees to walk a long way alone to get to their cars - doesn't this increase the risk of assaults? To lower this risk maybe employees that work late shifts need parking passes to nearby surface lots (not high rise parking structures). The DDA and City Council seemed very focused on money, but money will dry up fast if home values start declining in Ann Arbor's Old West Side, Burns Park etc due to crime. Less take reasonable precautions to lower risk and catch the bad guys. The goal is a town where everyone can feel safe walking alone almost anywhere at any time of day.
bigblue
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 6:08 p.m.
The elephant in the room is that AAPD is just not equipped to handle major crimes. Low hanging fruit(marijuana dispensaries) yes. rape, robbery, and homicide.....eh, not so much. those of us old enough to remember the ervin mitchell case of the early 90's have seen this before. they "caught" the guy once and let him go. the second time he was "caught" was by a yellow cab driver late one night around Christmas. need I say more.
nowayjose
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 7:07 a.m.
Police don't offer deals. Only prosecutors.
bigblue
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 3:36 a.m.
"what did the police do wring there" well, one of the first things they did wrong was to not tell the court that they offered a deal to one of the people who did come "forward". but i guess you really can't blame the AAPD for that because apparently that was also the M.O. for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the eastern district(see Richard Convertino). They did other things that were wrong as well, but that contradicts the "official" version of what happened so don't get me started on that either. unless you have some more theories that need to get blown out of the water.
nowayjose
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 2:42 a.m.
Sure I'll get you started. What did the police do wring there. Bunch of idiots shoot at each other and a innocent girl gets killed. No one comes forward to name shooters. Not every case goes like they do one tv. If the evidence and witnesses aren't there, limits case closures.
bigblue
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 12:16 a.m.
well the first basis is that AA hardly has any "major" crimes relatively speaking. which is a good thing. are you familiar with the ervin mitchell case? how long was it before the AAPD even notified the public that a serial rapist was on the loose? and don't even get me started on the tamara stewart case.
nowayjose
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 10:16 p.m.
And what is your basis for saying AAPD isn't equipped for handling major cases? Do you even know their clearance rate for major crimes?
Peter
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 5:56 p.m.
The Police and Fire Depts have never been a high priority with Ann Arbor City Council. Council was forced to lay off officers because of the shrinking general fund in July but using the same shrinking general fund, increased its charitable fund donations another $85,000. The Mayor and Chief of Police said we will be safe.
Nephilim
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 5:52 p.m.
Wow...only three off topic remarks so far linking the inability to solve this crime to the closing of the pot dispensaries. Is that going to be the battle cry from now on whenever anything in the future happens? Why, they couldn't do ( insert ) because they raided the pot dispensaries. They let (insert) happen because they were raiding the dispensaries. I shake my head.
RoboLogic
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 5:32 p.m.
I dont get it. Ann Arbor historically has high taxes, why cant the city have decent Police Service for the taxes the citizens pay?
Roy Munson
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 5:20 p.m.
We are getting our houses and cars broken into at an alarming rate. That stuff usually goes under the radar and the idiots in local office can say "crime is down." However, one would think that for how high profile these attacks have been and how terrible this makes the city look, our idiots in office would do something about the overall crime problem. I guess I was giving them too much credit. Please vote them out and free up their time to go enjoy the art around town.
Davidian
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 5:16 p.m.
All city resources should be focused more on safety than impressing academia (i.e. crosswalk enforcement, idling cars, fences in a historic district, and other nonsense). Earth to Ann Arbor! There is a serial rapist on the loose! Time to drop the flowers and take this guy out!
Roadman
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 5:09 p.m.
Why haven't the State Police taken the lead in investigating these serious sexual assaults. Oh yeah, that's right - the medical pot dispensaries are a priority.
Mike58
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 4:52 p.m.
I am an Ann Arbor resident and have been very unhappy about the way the City Council has prioritized city services. I honestly don't understand how they arrive at the decisions they have made concerning cutbacks in police and fire services. I understand that adding 100 new policemen would probably not have prevented this attack, however it is quite clear that reducing the number of police in the field cannot prevent such attacks in the future and will only lengthen the time it takes to catch this animal. It seems the only way to get the message to the city council is to start voting them out. There is an election coming up which presents an opportunity for the citizens to make a change with which the way local government is spending the resources they have been entrusted them with. I encourage everyone to get out and make their opinions known at the voting booth. My prayers go out to the victims of these terrible crimes.
Roadman
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 5:11 p.m.
You are correct - "[t]here is an election coming up". Show Councilpersons Rapundalo and Higgins your disapproval of their priorities by voting then out of office.
Roadman
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 4:29 p.m.
Ann Arbor City Council authorizes a 20% rollback of police personnel in 2009, appropriates $770,000.00 for the Dreiseitl project and, at least partially assigns officers to the LAWNET program so they can raid local marijuana dispensaries catering to medical patients and now citizens are wondering why the AAPD is having a hard time locating suspects in these sexual assaults targeting young women in A2. Law enforcemnt in Ann Arbor is being hamstrung by poor priorities advanced by the City Council and the Hieftje administration.
nowayjose
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 2:15 a.m.
The reason I know is also the reason I would never say how many. Believe me or not. But ann arbor being the major contributing agency may have been true at one time but not anymore. @ eyeheara2 <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/news/good-news-and-bad-news-property-taxes-in-ann-arbor-are-going-down/">http://www.annarbor.com/news/good-news-and-bad-news-property-taxes-in-ann-arbor-are-going-down/</a>
EyeHeartA2
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 12:13 a.m.
....and while you are at it, how may tickets they write compared to five years ago....or is data just for the "other guy"?
Roadman
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 10:30 p.m.
Jose: If you know, tell us the actual number.
nowayjose
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 10:13 p.m.
I guess you shouldn't believe eveything you read. I know the number and they contribute the least.
Nephilim
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 9:03 p.m.
Still doesn't answer the question, do you know exactly how many officers from aapd are in lawnet? 1? 20?
Roadman
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 8:43 p.m.
Jose: I am glad you raised the subject. The state website at <a href="http://www.michigan.gov" rel='nofollow'>www.michigan.gov</a> identifies the Ann Arbor Police Department as a "Main Partner" in the Livingston and Washtenaw Narcotics Enforcement Team (LAWNET).
nowayjose
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 8:22 p.m.
You have no idea how many officers ann arbor Pd puts into lawnet do you. But you write as if you do. There ate many laws that police have yo enforce. They can't pick and choose which ones they want to ignore like you would have them to do. Guess you should run as a law maker or become a police chief if you want things your way
Lou Perry
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 4:27 p.m.
Let logic prevail. Without question we have a serious uptick in crime on the streets of Ann Arbor. Police force continues to shrink. Moreover, police cars are dark and hard to distinguish from passenger cars with a tactical strategy to sneak up on the "bad guys." The three major cities in the country have bright colored patrol cars. Logic - highly identifiable police cars preventing crime rather than after would. Those citizens who didn't object to reducing our police force at City Council and appeared in mass to promote more funds for art should think about there priorities - safety . Ann Arbor needs to grow-up.
nowayjose
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 8:23 p.m.
Ticket writing is down considerably in the last five years. So I wonder how you can say that's their most important work?
Roy Munson
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 5:14 p.m.
Cars that blend in are simply there to do the police department's most important work, which is writing speeding tickets.
hut hut
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 4:14 p.m.
What's keeping them? All the dispensaries are closed.
racerx
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 4:08 p.m.
If it's too early in the investigation, then how "could" this be related? A simple, "I don't know", or, "we're not certain" would've been a better response. But, I guess he has to give some face time to show that they are working on it. Regardless of the time that has passed, my understanding is that this is very common for criminals to allow time to pass before committing another crime. So saying it might not be related due to the length of time that has pass doesn't make me sleep any more sound at night. Mmm...I wonder if the FBI thinks that since the length of time has passed it might not be the same person. They're still working on this too right?
YpsiLivin
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 4:53 p.m.
Outside of the City's request for assistance "as needed," the FBI is probably not actively pursuing this matter. I'd guess the FBI's involvement here is/was limited to developing a profile of the person(s) responsible, and helping the Ann Arbor police determine whether they're dealing with one or more-than-one assailant.
golfer
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 4:01 p.m.
good example where the art money should go!.
Bertha Venation
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 4:11 p.m.
Ya. no kiddin' !