BPD Community Alert: At about 6:00 AM, on Monday September 28, 2020, members of the BPD Sexual Assault Unit responded to a call for an assault with intent to rape in the area of the Boston Public Garden in Downtown Boston. On arrival, detectives spoke with the victim who stated that she was walking inside the park when she was approached by a male suspect who placed his hand over her mouth while making sexually explicit threats and attempting to remove an article of clothing on the victim. The victim was able to free herself from the suspect’s grasp and flee to safety. The suspect is described as a black male in his twenties or thirties with slim to medium build and short black dreadlocks.

The Boston Police Sexual Assault Unit is actively reviewing the facts and circumstances surrounding this incident. Anyone with any information is asked to call detectives directly at (617) 343-4400.

Community members wishing to assist this investigation anonymously can do so by calling the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 1(800) 494-TIPS or by texting the word ‘TIP’ to CRIME (27463).

The Boston Police Department will stringently guard and protect the identities of those who wish to help this investigation anonymously. If you are a victim of a sexual assault that has or has not been reported to police and would feel more comfortable seeking confidential advice from a non-law enforcement agency, the Boston Police Department encourages you to call the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC) at 1 (800) 841-8371. BARCC provides free and confidential counseling, case management, legal, and medical advocacy services to survivors in the greater Boston area. To learn more, please click on the enclosed link: www.barcc.org

TIPS FOR ENSURING YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY: The BPD encourages individuals to review the following safety tips with the understanding that, while these tips are designed to decrease and diminish the likelihood of an attack, no victim is ever to blame for the actions of an attacker.