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Homeless man attacks woman in broad daylight
A man experiencing homelessness was arrested Monday after he allegedly sexually assaulted a woman in broad daylight on a Long Beach sidewalk.
Are you or someone you know a recent survivor of sexual assault? Help is available. Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) provides a 24/7 national sexual assault hotline, which can be reached at 1-800-656-4673.
LONG BEACH, Calif - A man experiencing homelessness was arrested Monday after he allegedly sexually assaulted a woman in broad daylight on a Long Beach sidewalk.
It happened around 2 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 20, when Long Beach Police said officers were called out to the area of Linden Avenue and E. Broadway.
When they got there, they found a woman who said a man walked up to her from behind and assaulted her before running off. The entire thing was caught on surveillance footage.
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Sex assault incident raises crime concerns
The recent daytime sex assault incident that left the woman being thrown to the ground is raising crime concerns, particularly involving the homeless in Long Beach.
In the video, a woman was seen walking down the sidewalk in a dark dress. Soon after, a man walked up behind her and grabbed and lifted her dress before she fell to the ground. A witness nearby approached the man as he tried to leave, but the suspect ran away. He was gone before the cops got there.
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Homeless man suspected of sexual assault
A woman was attacked in broad daylight on a sidewalk in Long Beach, when a man experiencing homelessness walked up to her from behind and lifted her dress. He has been arrested.
FOX 11 got a chance to speak with the survivor of the attack. She called the incident "absolutely disgusting."
"When I turned around, I did notice he started picking up his pants," said Rebekah Pedersen. "If it wasn't in broad daylight, and that [good Samaritan] was sitting there, [the suspect] would have raped me."
Another surveillance camera captured the moments before the attack, as well as the alleged attacker's face.
On Monday, the Long Beach police announced they'd arrested a suspect in the attack. Miguel Avila, 30, was arrested just after 5 p.m. near the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Broadway.
He's now facing charges of theft and sexual battery. His bail was set at $1,000. Long Beach Police said they're still investigating the attack.