Artists' conception of man sought in Second Street assault. (LBPD)
LONG BEACH -- Police on Monday asked for the public's help in finding a man who physically and sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl in Belmont Shore.
The teen was attacked by an unknown assailant at about 2 a.m. June 15 near Second Street and Livingston Drive, said Long Beach Police Department Sgt. Dina Zapalski.
The girl was walking home alone from an undisclosed location when the suspect, who was on foot, approached her, Zapalski said.
The assailant coerced the girl into an alley, and then led her into an alcove, where he battered and sexually assaulted her, Zapalski said.
The suspect was last seen walking westbound on Shaw Street, near Quincy Avenue, in nearby Belmont Heights.
Zapalski and other police sources would not say exactly where the assault took place, releasing only the major intersections, but they did say the crime happened in a residential area north of Second - where the Shore and Heights meet.
Police would not confirm the type of sexual assault, specifically whether the girl was raped. Sexual assault is a broadly defined crime that can include forced oral copulation, sodomy and other offenses.
A composite sketch, which was circulated to media and Second Street business owners, described the suspect as Hispanic, in his late 20 s, 5 foot 7 inches, 190 pounds, with dark hair about an inch in length, a round face, bushy eyebrows, a moustache and a dark complexion.
The man was wearing a green and blue
plaid button down shirt, a light blue or white undershirt, dark denim jeans and brown and white Vans-style skateboard shoes.
Victim not at bars
Though there are several places to drink on Second Street, and the crime took place near closing time, the victim was underage and not believed to have been drinking in area bars, Zapalski said.
Where she was walking from, and what neighborhood she was headed to, were not released.
It is unknown whether the assailant had been drinking. He was, however, identified as a cigarette smoker.
Councilman Gary DeLong, whose 3 rd District includes the Shore, said he was briefed by the LBPD's East Division commander about the case.
"It is disturbing that even with the increased police presence in Belmont Shore this type of tragic event can occur," DeLong said. "I have discussed this crime with Police Cmdr. (Cynthia) Renaud, and I am confident our outstanding Police Department will not only catch this criminal, but will increase education efforts as well to prevent a similar attack from happening in the future. While Belmont Shore is a safe neighborhood, this reminds us we must be vigilant at all times."
Belmont Shore Residents Association President Mike Ruehle questioned why it took a week for police and DeLong to notify residents.
Ruehle said in an e-mail to the P-T that he attended DeLong's June 18 community meeting and neither the councilman or police commander discussed the sexual assault.
"Personally, I question why it took a week for the police to notify residents of this incident and that the rapist was still free," Ruehle said. "On the heels of the previously ignored public disturbance problems and the officer-involved shooting on Second Street, is this yet another example of the police's and Councilman DeLong's insensitivity to our community?"
DeLong defended the LBPD's delay in releasing the information to the general public, saying, "Long Beach residents are fortunate to have an outstanding Police Department, and I am certain there is a very good reason information was not released sooner."
Complaints ramped up
Ruehle and the BSRA have been stepping up complaints about alcohol-related quality life crimes on and near Second Street, as well as sporadic violence, for about two years.
Zapalski said details were not released to the public at large - neighbors in the immediate area were told and asked if they saw or heard anything - sooner because there were reasons specific to the case that required confidentiality.
"Yes, there are investigative reasons," Zapalski said. "The way the case was handled was consistent with department policy on sexual-assault cases. It takes time for the detectives to gather the information and to ensure that it's accurate. They want to be thorough and accurate, and do not want to put out information that is not correct."
In addition, she said detectives were chasing down leads and did not want to alert the suspect.
"They follow up on all the information that they have," she said. "Also, in this case, we were dealing with a juvenile victim, so there were additional sensitivities in the way we handled the case."
East Division officers took the initial report of the crime. The case was then forwarded to sex crimes detectives stationed at police headquarters downtown.
The June 15 sexual assault appears to be the second on record in the Belmont Shore area this year. Police crime statistics that span January to May show show one forcible rape - in January - in one of the reporting areas that includes parts of the Shore and the Heights.
Anyone with information on the June 15 sexual assault is urged to call the LBPD Crime Tip Line at 562.570.7878.
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