A woman was sexually assaulted at knifepoint Saturday in City Heights, police said.
The woman was taking out the trash around 6:30 p.m. in an alley on Van Dyke Avenue near Joyner Elementary School when she was assaulted, San Diego police Lt. Jason Weeden said.
The suspect grabbed the victim's throat from the back with one hand and held a knife to the victim's face with the other, the lieutenant said.
The man forced the woman to walk a short distance and sexually assaulted her, he said.
The suspect then fled south through the alley, Weeden said.
He was described as well-groomed, between 25 to 35 years of age, about 6-feet-tall with a goatee and average build. He possibly has an earring in his left ear, police said.
The suspect was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt with a pair of sunglasses hanging from the collar, black pants and black shoes.
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People who live in the neighborhood were rattled by the reports and said the community, which is filled with women, should be on alert.
"This this is everybody’s neighborhood," Davy Senglothnam said. "People are always around, people are always out. There a lot of children around here and my kids go to school here. I don’t want that state of mind where I should always be like watching my back."
Lourdes Dovalina said the time of day when the assault occurred was particularly troubling.
"Obviousl,y people have to be aware. I mean, that’s a time when a lot of people are walking and there’s lots of parks around here so there’s kids out there, there’s women," she said.
Anyone with any information about the suspect or his whereabouts can call the SDPD Sex Crimes Unit at (619) 531-2210 or Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (888) 580-8477.
Neighbors told NBC 7 they were hopeful the detailed description of the suspect leads investigators to him sooner rather than later.
