Police looking for stranger who attacked woman at Highline High School in Burien

BURIEN, Wash. – Detectives are looking for a man who attacked a 22-year-old woman as she was walking her dog earlier this month on the grounds of Highline High School in Burien.

The woman, who didn’t want to be identified, told Q13 News she believes the man intended to kidnap and rape her. Her jaw was broken during the assault.

“This is a stranger attack,” said King County sheriff’s detective Jessica Santos. “It’s a serious assault.”





The woman said she was walking her dog on May 5 around 8 p.m. when a man approached and introduced himself as Juan. She said she gave him directions to a sporting event that was taking place at Highline, and he went over and stood by a tree nearby for a couple minutes.

He came back and tried to pet her dog, but the dog began growling and the woman told him he couldn’t pet it.

The woman got nervous, and picked up the dog and began running. The man caught her and wrapped an arm around her neck, cutting off her breath.

Eventually the woman got free and ran home.

The King County sheriff’s office released a sketch of the man, who they say is Hispanic, in his mid-20s, and weighs 180-pounds with a medium build, brown eyes and short black hair. He was wearing a black jacket, blue jeans and black shoes.

“It’s important to remember that this is just a sketch and just what the victim remembers,” Santos said.

Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound is offering reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest and prosecution. Call 1-800-222-TIPS or use the P3 Tips App on your phone. You can also submit tips at www.p3tips.com