Police in Takoma Park are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a suspect in the attempted rape and false imprisonment of an employee at the Red Carpet Inn on Tuesday afternoon.
Police spokesperson Cathy Plevy said that officers responded at approximately 4:35 p.m. Tuesday to the Red Carpet Inn in the 7400 block of New Hampshire Ave. for a welfare check on a female. Officers arrived and were directed to a specific room where they found a victim suffering from injuries.
The victim, an employee of the Red Carpet Inn, was cleaning a room when an unknown male approached her in the doorway. A male suspect entered the room, struck the victim in the head, and placed his hand over her mouth with force. An attempt was made by the male suspect to rape the victim, but he was unsuccessful. As soon as the victim was able to free her mouth, she screamed loud enough so that someone could hear her. The suspect fled on foot towards New Hampshire Ave.
Prior to police arrival, a witness approached the room to check on the victim’s welfare, when the suspect was making his way back to the room. After the victim barricaded herself in another room, the witness was able to flee and alert the police by reaching the management office.
Plevy stated that surveillance videos showed a male suspect wearing an orange or yellow shirt. He also wore a dark jacket over the shirt, dark pants, boots, sunglasses, and a surgical mask. He fled the scene towards New Hampshire Ave.
Officers recovered evidence, and the victim was not seriously injured, Plevy said.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about this attempted rape and false imprisonment is asked to call Takoma Park Police at (301) 270-1100.
Photo: © Tomasz Zajda – stock.adobe.com