Boston police seek suspect accused of indecent assault in North End
Boston police are looking for a man accused of indecently assaulting a woman as she walked into her home in the North End. Witnesses say he is accused of licking the victim's feet.
"It was awful, it's very disturbing. Very scary," said neighbor Lynn Bova.
Boston police released surveillance videos of the suspect Friday night.
"Very disturbing"
"It was disturbing, it was very disturbing," said neighbor Bernadette Dinunzio. "I feel terrible for her she was a young girl."
Investigators say the victim was in the hallway entrance of her apartment Wednesday night when a man followed her inside.
Neighbors describe what they saw on the surveillance video.
"He grabs her leg, and she turns, and he started licking her feet," Bova said.
The victim's screams could be heard across the building as she fought off her attacker. He finally gave up and ran.
Suspect ran away after assault
"And then he books it, and then he runs down the street, he drops his phone, he goes back to get his phone and then he books it down the street again," Bova said.
The suspect, described by police as a Black man with a black hooded sweatshirt, hasn't been seen since.
"I think the fact that it is a busy area does make it even more scary and sinister knowing that there could be a lot of people around and this person still felt comfortable doing something violent," said neighbor Olivia Carini.
While the North End is typically vibrant and busy, those who live on the street are staying extra vigilant.
"I usually feel really safe here and so it's not a huge concern for me usually, but I'm definitely going to be more wary now," Carini said.
As detectives try to track down the suspect, they remind people to always be aware of who's around them.
"I walk my dog at night sometimes by myself," Bova said. "There's a lot of young professionals around here that come home late from work. Now you always have to watch your back."
