What to Know
- The woman was attacked around 4 a.m. Saturday along the Walnut Street Bridge connecting Center City to the Penn campus.
- Police said the woman had just gotten into her car when the suspect slipped into the passenger seat and pulled out a gun.
- The suspect was last seen fleeing under the Walnut Street Bridge. Police spent hours searching for clues.
Police are looking for a man who they say raped a woman at gunpoint in the University City section of Philadelphia early Saturday morning.
The assault happened around 4 a.m. along the Walnut Street Bridge near World Cafe Live as the 38-year-old victim was leaving a party, University of Pennsylvania police said.
As the woman made her way to her car and got inside, she started looking for her purse, which is when a man got into the passenger seat, pulled out a gun and then raped her, according to police.
The suspect is described as a black male about 6 feet tall, with a goatee and a large build. Police say he is about 25 years old and was wearing a black hoodie and black pants at the time of the attack.
He was last seen running away under the Walnut Street Bridge.
The victim was taken to the hospital. Police say she has no connection to the nearby University of Pennsylvania, though university police are assisting the Philadelphia Police Department with the investigation.
Officers spent hours searching the area for clues. A K9 officer also swept the scene.
University and city police have increased patrols around the campus since the attack.
Students can also use the school's free, 24/7 walking escort service by calling 215-898-9255.
