MIAMI (WSVN) - Miami Police have confirmed investigators are interviewing a “possible subject” in an attempted rape in the Brickell area.
The department’s special victim’s unit has called the man, seen in surveillance images released Wednesday, a suspect in an attack that happened Tuesday night.
“We need to locate and identify this man that is seen in the video,” Miami Police spokesperson Kenia Fallat said.
Police said the man is in his late 20s to early 30s, has a thin build, goatee and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a gray hoodie, black shorts and black and red sneakers.
Late Thursday, police have said they are interviewing a “possible subject” in the case. They have not said how or if the person they are interviewing is definitively linked to the case.
Detectives said the attack happened at the Brickell Flatiron Building, in the area of Southeast First Avenue and 10th Street.
Surveillance cameras inside of the building where the attack occurred captured the man following the victim, who was jogging moments before, into an elevator.
Police said the man pretended to be on his cellphone before he followed the woman to her apartment after she exited the elevator.
“He pushes the door in as she enters her apartment, makes his way in, produces a metal pipe and demands that she give him oral sex,” Fallat said. “‘If you don’t give me oral sex, I’m going to hit you.’ Obviously, she avoided doing that. In the interim, he hits her. She breaks away from him, barricades herself inside of her bedroom, opens the balcony door and starts screaming.”
Officers said neighbors heard the victim yelling and called 911.
“She was just screaming, ‘Help! Help me! Help me! Help!’ And it was just blood curdling scream,” a neighbor said. “The tone in her voice was just pure terror. I hope they increase security for sure. For someone to be able to piggyback and jump on the elevator, so yeah, that’s very concerning.”
Residents like Cynthia Benavides said they are disturbed the man was able to enter the building and follow the woman to her apartment.
“That is incredibly concerning that someone can get all the way up into one of the residential floors, into a woman’s apartment and attempt to sexually assault her,” Benavides said. “That’s just beyond frightening.”
“I live right here, so this could happen to me,” a woman said.
One Brickell Flatiron resident wrote she is “beyond disappointed that the building has not notified residents about the security breach and attempted rape. They have added a security guard but are clearly trying to keep this quiet.”
The man was captured on video leaving the building after the alleged attack.
Brickell Flatiron’s management said, “We can’t make a statement at this time” when they were asked for comment on the attack.
If you have any information on this man’s whereabouts, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
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