Groping Suspect Sought in Silver Lake

Los Angeles police are searching for a man accused of groping women on the Silver Lake Reservoir loop and have increased patrols in the area. (lapdonline.org, ktla.com) The Los Angeles Police Department said a 25-year-old woman reported that she was attacked from behind at about 8:45 p.m. on March 25 while exercising near the reservoir. A second woman, 33, reported a similar assault at about 5 p.m. on April 18 at Silver Lake Meadows park. (ktla.com, cbsnews.com) In both reported cases, police said the man approached from behind, groped the women’s breast area and ran off. LAPD described the suspect as Hispanic or Asian with a large build. (ktla.com, cbsnews.com) The case widened after women began posting warnings around the reservoir and sharing accounts on social media. NBC Los Angeles reported on April 22 that at least three women had come forward publicly, including one woman who said she was attacked there on April 13. (nbclosangeles.com) That public warning campaign pushed the issue beyond two formal police reports and into a broader safety concern at one of Northeast Los Angeles’s busiest running loops. LAPD said Northeast Division added uniformed officers and foot patrols after the reports. (nbclosangeles.com, cbsnews.com) Silver Lake falls under LAPD’s Northeast Division, which serves neighborhoods including Silver Lake, Los Feliz and Eagle Rock. The department’s public release on April 21 said sexual assault detectives were seeking additional victims and witnesses in the reservoir area. (lapdonline.org, lapdonline.org) Police asked anyone with information to contact Northeast Area Sexual Assault Detective Supervisor Michelle Gomez at 323-561-3272. Anonymous tips can be sent to Crime Stoppers, while LAPD says additional victims should file a police report as detectives try to identify the man. (cbsnews.com, nbclosangeles.com)