CAMBRIDGE, MASS. (WHDH) - An assault victim is looking for answers after she was attacked while walking her dog in Cambridge on Monday.
The Cambridge Police Department released footage of a figure walking and later running in a neighborhood the day a woman was physically assaulted in the area of Market and Windsor streets while walking her 8-month-old Cockapoo, Jax.
“I took my phone out, held (the button for) Siri down, and I said ‘call 911,'” 23-year-old Randi said, describing the incident that left her battered and bruised. “And as I said that, he just attacked me, punched me on the ground.”
According to police, the suspect allegedly walked by the woman before the assault, turning around and attacking her soon afterwards. Police found he had also been in the area for about an hour beforehand and apparently returned to the scene immediately after the assault for the victim’s keys and pepper spray before disappearing.
Days after the assault, Randi said she is convinced it was Jax that the man was after.
“He ran up to me and he grabbed the leash with both hands as I was holding onto the leash and he looked like – shocked I didn’t let go of the leash,” she said. “I had my phone in my hand while I was on the ground, covering my face – he didn’t take the phone, I had stuff in my pockets like my wallet – he didn’t try to like, go to my pockets – nothing, it was just the dog.”
Police said the suspect initially took off with Jax, but the dog later got away and was found by a Good Samaritan before being returned its owner.
Now, neighbors of the victim are concerned that the suspect is still out there.
“I usually go down certain streets that I feel like have a lot of cars on them, and I’ve recently been like, because I’ve lived here for so long, maybe I should try a change of pace,” Cambridge resident Hannah Jacobs told 7NEWS. “But now, hearing this I’m like just stay where you know is safe.”
Randi said she is glad to get her dog back, but is looking for the suspect to be caught, adding that she is not so much scared as she is upset after the assault, and is now looking for answers.
“I don’t know why and I want to find out why, that’s my main concern – why did this happen?” she said.
Cambridge Police are asking that anyone with information about the assault call the department at 617-349-3300.
Those who have information can also share it anonymously via text message at 847411. The department asks that anyone doing so start their text with “TIP650” and then type their message.
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