Police search for suspects in Highlands neighborhood attacks

DENVER — FOX31 Denver has learned there are disturbing developments in the search for one, possibly two men attacking women near the Highlands neighborhood.

The latest attack happened Sunday near Columbus Park.

“He ripped my top almost completely off, then was trying to get my shorts off,” said one victim who spoke exclusively with FOX31 Denver.

The woman was passing through the park and had walked into an alley when the man attacked her from behind.

“When he ripped open my shirt is when I realized what he wanted to fully do,” she said.

Because the woman is a victim of an attempted sexual assault, FOX31 Denver is not identifying her, but reporter Justin Joseph saw visible bruises on her face.

“It was traumatizing that’s the best way to put it,” she said.  She says the man threw her to the ground and then assaulted her. “He was able to punch me enough that I gasped.“

In the past several weeks, Highlands residents have found signs posted warning of two earlier attacks on women.

“I was yelling and screaming,” said one of the earlier victims by phone. She was raped in June after she left a Highlands restaurant. “He tried to strangle me and broke my nose.”

In a statement, Denver police say they “don’t believe the same man is responsible for the two most recent attacks but say they can’t say for sure.”

“I was able to spray him in the face with my perfume and then I kicked,” said the most recent victim.

“If you don’t have mace, perfume works wonders.”