By Ivan Pereira
Another sex attack has taken place in Laurelton, according to City Councilman James Sanders (D-Laurelton), who is urging his constituents to remain vigilant and stop the crime spree from getting worse.
The assault took place near 228th Street and 135th Avenue, not too far from Sanders’ office, around 5 a.m. Wednesday, according to the councilman. This marks the seventh sex attack to take place in southeast Queens since September and Sanders said the neighborhood is on edge with fear.
He called on residents to fight back and stay strong.
“One way or another, we will send the message that this kind of degeneracy has no place in our community or any community,” he said in a statement.
The NYPD could not provide any details about the attack.
On Monday, a 15-year-old suspect from Springfield Gardens was arrested and charged with two attacks that took place in Laurelton this month.
On Oct. 9, a 40-year-old woman was trying to enter her home in Laurelton around 1 a.m., when the teen suspect allegedly pushed her to the ground, punched her several times in the face and sexually abused her, investigators said. A neighbor heard the commotion and the attacker fled on foot, according to the police.
The victim suffered severe bruising to her eyes, a nasal fracture which required surgery, a laceration to her cheek requiring stitches and swelling to her head, according to Queens DA Richard Brown.
On Oct. 16, a woman was walking back to her Brookville home from a bus stop near South Conduit Avenue around 7 p.m., when she was struck in the back of the head and almost sexually assaulted by a male whom police believe is the teen suspect, according to investigators.
She was able to fight him off and he fled the scene, police said.
The victim suffered lacerations to the inside of her mouth, bruising, swelling and pain to her face and bruising and contusions to the rear of her head, Brown said.
Police are looking for suspects wanted in four other attacks.
Investigators say a black male grabbed and sexually assaulted a 44-year-old woman as she was entering her Queens Village home around 1:15 a.m. Sept. 22.
A male grabbed and sexually assaulted another woman in the same vicinity Oct. 7 around 11 p.m., police said.
On Oct. 12, a 23-year-old woman was walking along 226th Street and South Conduit Avenue around 11:30 p.m. when a male approached her and sexually assaulted her, police said. A day later, a masked man armed with a box cutter who approached a 20-year-old woman at 108th Drive and Merrick Boulevard around 2 a.m. raped her, police said.
The police and the crime watchdog group the Guardian Angels have increased patrols in the area since the spree started and Sanders pushed them and residents to keep up the watch and bring the suspects to justice
“I always believed it seemed unlikely that a single perpetrator could have committed every attack, especially one so young,” he said.
“While I’m glad to see that we have one suspect in custody, the bottom line is that we must remain steadfast as a community against these cowardly, despicable attacks against our sisters, mothers, daughters and loved ones.”
Anyone with information is urged to call Crimestoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), text their tips to 274637 (crimes) then enter TIP577 or log on to nypdcrimestoppers.com. All reports will be kept confidential.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4546.
