Savannah-Chatham Metro Police are investigating the attempted assault on a 17 year old girl near the Cloverdale neighborhood Monday afternoon.
The victim told police that she was walking in the area of West 42nd Street and Ogeechee Road around 2 p.m. when she saw a slender man walking quickly in front of her.
When she entered a path through Laurel Grove Cemetery, the suspect jumped from behind some bushes, grabbed her and told her to remove her clothing, police said.
The victim fought the man until a bicyclist started riding down the path and the suspect released her.
Metro Police are investigating similarities between this case and 4 others, three of which also involved teen girls.
In each case, the suspect was described as a slender black male wearing blue jeans and holding a white t-shirt over his face.
On August 25th a woman told police that a man attacked her while she was walking through the cemetery, forced her into a wooded area and raped her.
The description is also similar to three other attempts on teenaged girls in the Cuyler-Brownsville neighborhood, police said.
Students walking to school were approached in lanes at West 42nd and Burroughs Streets on March 3, West 44th and Florence Streets on September 8th and 29th.
Police say those attacks involved girls between the ages of 13 and 16.
All were able to escape their attacker.
“I can think of nothing more demanding that the protection of innocent teenagers who are walking in our neighborhoods,” Chief Jack Lumpkin said. “We again are calling upon officers to increase their vigilance on patrols and the public to help us identify and remove these offenders from our neighborhoods.”
Metro and Savannah-Chatham County Public School System Campus Police have increased patrols in the area and have advised students to take care, especially when walking alone. They also have been advised to call Emergency 911 if they sense any suspicious situation.
Anyone with information on the cases is asked to call Crimestoppers at (912) 234-2020 or text CRIMES (274637) using the keyword CSTOP2020. Tipsters remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.
