The Niagara Falls Police Department is making the public aware of two recent sexual assault cases that maybe related. While these two cases have yet to be positively connected there are similarities among them.
The first incident occurred on Tuesday, Sept. 19 at approximately 11:30 p.m. near the Pine Plaza at the corner of Niagara Falls Boulevard and Military Road. In this incident an adult female was confronted by the male suspect who was armed with a handgun in the parking lot. The suspect forced the victim to the rear of a business in the plaza, which was closed at the time and sexually assaulted the victim before walking away towards Military Road.
The second incident occurred on Friday Oct. 6 just before 8 p.m. in the Tops Parking lot on Portage Road. The teenage victim was confronted by a male suspect who displayed a handgun and forced the victim to the rear of a nearby business. The victim was sexually assaulted before the suspect walked away on foot. The suspect was last seen walking on the Ashland Avenue side of Rainbow Fashions toward the parking lot.
The suspect is described as being Hispanic or a black male with a light complexion, a medium build, with an approximate height of 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 11 inches tall, possibly in his 20s. The suspect was last seen wearing dark hoody, dark pants, and a backpack with a dark facemask. The suspect was in possession of a semi-automatic handgun.
NFPD says “we realize that this description is rather vague; however we are releasing the best information available to inform the public for their safety and to hopefully generate information that can lead to an arrest.”
As previously mentioned the suspect displayed a handgun, therefore people are advised to exercise extreme caution if they believe they come in contact with him.
Niagara Falls Police are asking anyone with information regarding these incidents or may have seen someone matching this description in the area of the crimes to contact the Niagara Falls Police Criminal Investigation Division Detectives at (716) 286-4553 or the General Information Number at (716) 286-4711.
