NYPD seeks suspect in violent sexual assault caught on video

Photo: Visual Vic/Getty Images

Police in New York City are searching for a man who was caught on video tying a belt around a woman’s neck before sexually assaulting her while she was unconscious.

According to investigators, the attack occurred around 3 a.m. on May 1 at East 152nd Street and Third Avenue in the Melrose neighborhood of the Bronx. In footage released by the NYPD, a man can be seen with a white sheet covering his face, following the 45-year-old victim as he walks down the sidewalk. He then puts a belt around her neck, causing her to fall to the ground and hit her head. According to the police, the woman lost consciousness as a result. The video shows the attacker dragging her limp body several meters from the sidewalk between two cars, where he sexually assaulted her. According to police, the man then fled the scene on foot.

The suspect — who was wearing a blue Gap sweatshirt, white pants and black, red and white sneakers — has yet to be arrested. In a post on

In recent days, uncensored footage of the attack has gone viral on social media. According to police, the woman was treated at a local hospital and is recovering.