Long Beach police are launching an investigation after several women reported being sexually assaulted and attacked.
Detectives believe the same man is responsible for all eight attacks and authorities want to find him before his assaults escalate. In one attack, police say he pushed the victim down after she tried to defend herself.
Long Beach police say the series of attacks began back in mid-September in the area of Locust Avenue and Willard Street.
"I have two daughters and it really concerns me…if someone is going around touching on people," said Lilia Bissette, a nearby resident.
On Sept. 18, police say the man grabbed a 43-year-old woman from behind and thrust against her. Police took reports from seven other women between September and December who describe the man attacking them the same way.
On Nov. 29, authorities say the man attacked three separate times.
"It's very, very concerning that I'm listening to there's being women attacked over here right in front of the house," said neighbor Jose Castillo.
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The most recent attack happened two weeks ago near Earl and Nevada, and like other incidents, in between the hours of 6 and 8:30 p.m.
"If he's rubbing and groping people it's going to evolve to something else," said Bissette. "It's going to evolve to him trying to rape somebody or maybe try to snatch somebody."
At this point, police don't have any security footage that captured any of the incidents, and we don't know why we are just learning of the attacks now. Authorities say the man may be in his late teens, with a thin build, and in most cases, wearing a black hoodie with white stripes, Vans tennis shoes, and a face covering.
