HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014 03-05 Police still searching for gunman who threatened to rape 2 women MAPLEWOOD REVIEWr olicesti*
..........._.searching,
gunman W. 0....
'
threa" tened- to r4p
'in_�N
women... _.
ort t. .
r r. ewoo
Kaitlyn Robyr
Review staff
AR5.,2014,_)_
Investigators have been following up an tips powt�atag
xn through phone:calls and text messages, trying to track
down the, suspect who . appears " to have forced
hinas6kinto
one car in North ' St. Paul and then another iri Maplewood
late' Sunday, 'Feb. 23, threatening to rape , and ' shoot the two .
wonien who drove them.
One woman took her chance to run away,, and the other
ii�
convinced the man to let her go ed.
ithin the next couple of days, police received informa- `
Tori from people who claimed to have seen the man, but
investigators haven't yet been lead to the suspect's identity,
or whereabo-,ts.
"We have received a- number of tips, which area
extremely .helpful and have been. great," Maplewood, Police
GhiefPaul Schnell..
�said Feb. 25. "we're not there yet."
Schnell said that there's no indication that the man is
or isn't still in the area,' but there :are some "elements Of
this that would make one believe this person is potentially
local."
North 5t: Patel Capt. Dustin N' 'tuck said investigators,
have been Xookng into :leads; but nothing had panned out
by Friday afternoon;
"we still.' need the public` to be diligent and keep their
eyes and ears open;" be said. "Arxy little tip can solve this
crime."
There have- been � extra .police. patrols., at North High
seeAtgat, o�+ a �l2vn
-
itives.tigation..'....-5 nae 2014.
continued from page' 1
hum.
"To her credit, she. was able to. COMMcc
School since the -incident' occurred in the"'
I'm to let her go."
area, he said.
The man eventually asked to be. dropped
Off near County Road C and white Bear Ave-
Nvrth '� t: Pau! attemped rape
p p
nue. She braked at a stoplight,, and he got out.
The North St. Paul Police Department
Suspect at large
:responded to a report of a female .victim who
ran, away` from a- possible rapist -at 7:47 p.m..
:
Schnell said that there is no proven right
{
Feb. 3 :in the area of Tenth Avenue and
or wrong way to respond to such. a- situation,
Third Street.,
but it usually comes down to the victim figur-
e After a hockey -game, a 24- ear -old worm
g y
� ing out what could increase the likelihood of
reportedly started her car 'in the parking lot
'
suiyival.
"It could be perfectly right to �Yn. It could
of North High School. Polar Arena, 2444
1 th Ave. Then a man who she described.
.
be. perfectly right to fight.' It could be perfectly ,
f as a white male, about 30 to 40:years old,. 6
right to comply," he said. - •
feet tall - wit% a rriedium 'build' and ;facial hair,
.
He aid the se -types of . incidents are
entered the car on the assert er's side. - He
p g.
``extremely, -extremely rare."
had- a black handgun, wore --dark cloth-
"yet, these are the offenses oftentimes that..
,and
in a black ca and latex ayes.
p
we are the most fearIbI about," he said'
.
He told the. victim that he. -wanted to Have
He recommended that people .'remain
rderin her. to drive the . veW-
sex - with her b. g
aware. of ,their surroundings at all tit�nes but
cle to a arkin lot west: of North High. He
p g �
especially how, considering investigators
.
. .
forced her to turn -the -car off and grabbed
, , -
dont know. the man s identity and, -haven't
heir. She sacr a chance to et awa fled and
y'
apprehended him.
`that'
.
screamed far help: ;. f. -
"At this stage, it's important and wise
The man then drove off her. car.
'tee 6mpley � of the standard types of tactics
Accordin ,.to N' 'tui o 'ce reserve offi-: '
g � p b,
or stratggies to. keep ourselves safe: increasing
cers- later found the car_ down- the street. The
our. level of awareness, making sure we lock
suspect, didn't steal or leave anything in the
our doors.
He added; "But, :certainly, (authoritiesare).
car.
more concerned- given the fact ,that we have
;
armed kidna 'ing
'not identified theuectMaplewood
pP ."
About 15 minutes after the North St. Paul
incident; a-26- ear -old Woman. in Maplewood
y p
'
Similar out-of-town Nncident
• .
reported an armed - kidnapping involving a
.Schnell noted that a similar incident -tools
man who. looked -and acted similar- to the
placo this month in• Bartell, Mian:, which is
man in the earlier in cideu t in the ad' acent
j
about six miles north of St.- Cloud. A woman,
suburb. :
was kidnapped by a masked man who was
The Maplewood 'Police D e artment
P
_ waiting m her vehicle outside: a fast food, res-''
*earlyFeb.130
received the "report . At about 9:30. p.m. the
tatirant late Feb..12-to
same,ni t: A.orchg a to olive statement
p
56 -year-old woman reportedly told
a. woman reportedly left a; gym near white
oThe
pxce she was assaulted. She was driven
Sear Avenue and County Road D. at _about .
around the St. C1ot1d area, and then ' wads
' in §auk Rapids,
8 .xaa, of into -her car and then a man she
p ' g '
ushed out of the vehicle .
didn t know sat down in• the passenger seat.
where olive found her car.
p
This time, the suspect wore, a black , skiT.
he interior had been set on fire.
mask, and'threatened to shoot ` the woman
with a' black handgun, if : she tried to get
Calling n tips .
.away.Maplewood:
and North St. Paul. inves#ga-
He told her he was going to rape hem,
tors are working together on the local inci-.
forcing her to drive to multiple locations . in
dents.
Anyone with information.. can call po4ce
including- ncluding a hotel.
According to Schnell, the woman noticed
,
r�spatch at 651-767-06.40 or 911. Anony-
that the Aman became increasi rigly nervous
mous tips can b e submitted tted by ' textxng the
as' they ' drove around. She apparently -talked
y
keyword' "MAPLEWOOD" acid the tip Wor-
...
the man down, saying something to the effect
rnauon to TIP411 [847411 .
of "'You should letme go. I don't want to see
you getting into trouble,"' Schnell said.
"He was explicit with the victim in 'the .
Kaitlyn Robb can be peached at 65I _748-�
Ma lewood case that his intention was to
p
7814 and krQby@lillietws.com. Follow her'
rape her," Schnell said - "She was. afraid of . ,
at twitter..corrtlKRoby.ZlTcvs..