Boston police are asking for the public’s help in investigating an attempted sexual assault in the North End that occurred in the early hours on Sunday.
A woman told police that while she was walking in the area of Prince Street and North Square at about 2 a.m. when a man approached her and attempted to sexually assault her. He fled the area when she screamed.
The suspect is described as a Hispanic male between 25 and 35 years old, about 5’6”, with short hair, police said.
There were 103 rapes or attempted rapes in the city between Jan. 1 and Aug. 2, down from 143 during the same time period last year, according to data released this week by the Boston Police Department. The downtick comes amid the coronavirus pandemic that has all but shuttered the city’s nightlife.
District A-1, which covers the North End, has reported 12 instances of rapes or attempted rapes so far this year, down from 16 in the same span last year. The only district to see those cases rise over last year is District E-5 in West Roxbury, which ticked up to five from three.
Anyone with information about the North End incident is being asked to contact the Boston Police Sexual Assault Unit at 617-343-4400. Those who wish to report anonymously can call the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 800-494-TIPS or text ‘TIP’ to CRIME (27463).
Police are also urging people to avoid walking alone late at night and to stay in well-lit areas. They recommend holding car keys in your hand to use as a weapon against an attacker, carrying a cell phone and keeping a whistle within reach.
