Minutes after the assault took place, officers arrived on the scene and found a man near the Northern Tier Trail who said he might have seen someone involved, Murphy said. The officers went to look for the suspect where the man indicated but were unable to find him. When the officers returned, the witness was gone.

“We would really like the opportunity to talk to this guy,” Murphy said. “The first encounter was (too) rushed to see exactly what he would say.”

There also is indication the victim yelled for help while she was being assaulted, but there was a delay until somebody called the police to report the screaming, Murphy said.

“Let the officers go out there and do what they’re trained to do. If the officers determine there is no crime, they will investigate it until they determine that,” he said.

Murphy also confirmed that the two sexual assaults were cases of rape.

This assault is the most recent of a slew of assaults that have taken place in the past two months. The first two, one being a sexual assault and the other an attempted sexual assault, were all described with a similar suspect.

The suspect was described as a white male with an average build, a height of about 5’5” to 5’10” and about 18 to 25 years old. One victim reported him to be wearing a faded red or pink shirt, shorts and gray shoes.

In all three of the incidents, the attacker dragged the victims to a secluded area, one being behind a dumpster, one in a shed area and the other in the woods.

Murphy said he encourages people to never walk around alone, but if they find themselves in a situation where they have to, try to stay on the phone with someone so they can relay a location and know what happens. The best way to signal attention if someone is being assaulted is to yell for help, Murphy said.

He also said it’s also a good idea to not wear headphones and stay alert.