Seattle police bike officers have increased their patrols of the Beacon Hill neighborhood in response to the latest in nearly two dozen sexual attacks on Asian girls and women.
Police say the man has groped, chased and even knocked down 22 girls and women in Rainier Valley and Beacon Hill since August 2006. The victims have ranged from teenagers to a 52-year-old. No victim has been raped or critically injured, and police said the man normally runs off after his victims have screamed for help.
The cops quoted in this story are unusually frank, saying "We're highly unlikely to catch this guy," and that the intention of their stepped-up patrol is to make people "feel" safe.
The principal at Beacon Hill Elementary invites the public to come to the PTSA meeting at 7:15 tonight at the school; some police will be there to discuss the incidents.
Feel safe!
Is it just me, or is "groper" just not the right word to describe this guy? When I think of getting groped, I think of a date with wandering hands. I wish the press would call him the Beacon Hill Assailant or something.
ReplyDeleteKim, where in the story did we refer to the man as a "groper"? As a Beacon Hill resident, avid Metro user and journalist, I'm glad both papers gave this story good play. The word is definitely out there; I hope women are on the lookout and this man gets caught. This particular story was in the top 2 most e-mailed and most read on our Web site yesterday and throughout this morning. I'm glad people are spreading the word.
ReplyDeleteI called him a "groper" -- I'm not sure if anyone in the press has called him a groper.
ReplyDeleteI should think of a better description. "Assailant" is pretty generic, but perhaps it's better.
He's also not technically a "Beacon Hill" anything since he's attacked women in the Rainier Valley as well. But I think a case can be made to call him the "Beacon Hill" something since that's where most of the attacks have been.
ReplyDelete