A man is speaking out after he and his co-workers rushed to help a 63-year-old woman who was being violently assaulted by a naked man in Sawtelle on Thursday.
Rick Dreyfus, a general contractor, said he and his crew were working on their construction site on the 2400 block of Barry Avenue near the I-10 Freeway when they heard the woman screaming for help.
“Part of you freezes and thinks, ‘Is this really happening right now?’ And then part of you just knows, ‘We gotta go help her,’” explained Dreyfus.
Dreyfus told KTLA’s Angeli Kakade that when they got to her, the naked man had the 63-year-old pinned down on her stomach and was on top of her back, attempting to rape her.
The Los Angeles Police Department said officers responded to the 12:40 p.m. call reporting the assault and arrested the suspect, identified as 33-year-old Ishmail Bangura.
LAPD confirmed to KTLA that before the attack, Bangura ran out of his nearby apartment and hit a 3-year-old child in the face.
He then set his target on another apartment building, broke in, and began attacking the 63-year-old woman.
Police said she was trying to get away by running outside, and that’s when Dreyfus said he heard something he will never forget – her screams for help.
Alongside many residents within the area, Dreyfus said this assault proves the growing concern about a nearby homeless encampment – which is where he believes the attacker came from.
“A lot of these guys have weapons, and these [workers] went flying in there with no hesitation,” Dreyfus recounted about his crew’s response. “This is what we’re dealing with, and it’s been happening more and more and more.”
Records show that back in October, a resolution was passed to remove people found sleeping under the I-10 Freeway, but the city is waiting for signage to be placed to enforce the new law.
Councilmember Traci Park released the following statement on Saturday regarding the violent attack:
“I have always made my expectations of the LAPD clear — they must take decisive action to remove dangerous and violent individuals from our streets before horrific incidents like this attack occur. Our residents deserve vigilant policing to maintain safety and security in our communities.”
As for the 63-year-old victim whose name was not immediately made available, LAPD said she was taken to a hospital and treated for minor injuries and was able to return home that same evening, and the 3-year-old was treated on the scene.
