Police: Growling groper grabs woman on Bellingham trail

BELLINGHAM, Wash. -- Police in Bellingham are searching for a man who groped a woman Tuesday morning on the Interurban Trail.

According to police, the man grabbed a woman's backside while she was walking on the trail around 9:35 a.m. near St. Paul St. & Valhalla Ln.

The woman said she yelled at the man for touching her and he growled back at her.

The suspect was described as a man in his early 20s, about 6-feet-tall with a beard and mustache. He had a "medium to darker complexion." At the time, he was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt with a light brown or light gray jacket on top.

"It is important to all of us to feel safe while using the amazing trail and park system in Bellingham," police wrote in a Facebook post. "Do not hesitate to call for police assistance if you encounter a situation like the one described above, or if you recognize the man responsible for this act."