Woman attacked by gunman in Lakewood's Fort Steilacoom Park

LAKEWOOD, Wash. -- A 52-year-old woman in Fort Steilacoom Park reported she was grabbed from behind by a man who had a gun, but she screamed and the attacker then pushed her down and ran away, Lakewood police said.

A witness heard the screams and ran over to help the victim, police said.

"The area was searched by a Police K9 unit and the WSP (Washington State Patrol) Airplane, but the suspect was not located," the Lakewood Police Department said in a news release.  "Some area schools were placed into lockdown during the search as a safety precaution and vehicles were checked as they left the park."

The victim told police the man grabbed her shirt from behind and, when she turned around, she noticed he was armed with a gun.

The suspect was described as a white man in his 20s, about 5-foot-7, with a thin, muscular build, a blue and brown knit cap, no shirt and blue jeans. The police said the suspect had a distinctive tattoo on his chest of a blue- or purple-colored sun.



Lakewood police said that if anyone has information on this assault or thinks they know who the suspect is, they are urged to contact the Lakewood Police Department.