Police now say a composite sketch of a suspect in a June 17 attack of a woman in North Park is not believed to be related to the series of assaults they believe were perpetrated by David Angelo Drake.
“Since Mr. Drake’s arrest, evidence obtained has eliminated Drake as the suspect in case No. 2 dated June 17, 2014,” a San Diego Police Department news release issued Friday said.
The sketch showed a light-skinned Hispanic man described as 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-8 and having braces – which does not describe 23-year-old Drake.
Many people have taken to social media to express confusion and doubt over Drake’s arrest, citing the discrepancy of the composite sketch.
Police say the June 17 attack, which occurred when a woman was walking alone in the 3200 block of Meade Avenue, is still an active investigation.
Drake was arrested Tuesday and has been charged with the attacks of seven women all in the residential area of San Diego west of Interstate 805 and south of El Cajon Boulevard.
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He remains in jail on $5 million bail.
News that there's still another attacker at large unsettled residents and visitors to North Park.
"Knowing that someone else (is) out there, I, as a woman, feeling very vulnerable and kind of terrified that we're not safe in our community," said North Park visitor Taylor Stonack.
Another North Park resident expressed shock that there's another suspect on the loose.
“Well, that’s news to me hearing there’s another guy. It's shocking, it’s horrible, I don’t know, it’s messed up," said Riley Jordan.
Still, Sean Karafin, the vice president of the North Park Community Association, sympathizes with the plight of police in all this.
"The city and the police department are trying to catch these guys," said Karafin. "We know they are. At the same time, they can't give to many details because they don't want the attackers to know what they know."
