Thinking about the worst is the worst, but somebody’s got to do it. After two attacks on women at a downtown Minneapolis parking structure, local officials have increased police patrols and undercover presence in parking areas.
According to myfoxtwincities.com, the attacker approached one woman and asked for money and then tried to force her down between two cars. He was scared off when another parking structure customer exited a nearby elevator. Not 3 hours later, the same individual pushed a second woman into her car and attempted to sexually assault her. She fought him and screamed loudly enough to attract attention, and the assailant ran away.
The suspect fled the area and was chased by several bystanders who lost track of him near Pizza Luce. Police believe the same suspect was involved in both cases.
It’s an awful story that could have been much worse. It’s reassuring to read that bystander involvement was a factor – people are not standing around, but acting to help someone in distress. It’s also a positive that Minneapolis police leadership have recognized the need to secure the area where the attacks occurred.
We all like to walk around this world like we are safe, but sometimes we are not safe, and it’s up to us, to parking providers and enforcement officers to recognize danger and address that danger with an appropriate response.
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