Manhunt underway after pregnant woman attacked in alleyway
WARNING - DISTRESSING FOOTAGE: Horrifying footage has been released in hopes of identifying an 'extremely dangerous fugitive' who attacked a pregnant woman in an alleyway.
The vile assault happened on March 18 at 6:30pm in Stamford Hill, in the UK, while the footage was shared to Twitter by Shomrim (Stamford Hill), a neighbourhood watch group.
The man is seen walking behind the young woman, who is 27-weeks pregnant, in the CCTV footage. The community group said the pregnant woman was Jewish.
The man was pulling along two-wheel personal shopping cart several metres behind the woman. But as she nears a gate near the end of the lane, he leaves his trolley behind and starts to run up behind her.
The man is seen taking something out of his pocket, reportedly a pillowcase, which he pulls over the woman's head.
He then repeatedly hits the woman until she frees herself and runs.
"Shomrim volunteers have already viewed many hours of CCTV footage, showing the suspect discreetly stalking his victim," Shomrim said on Twitter.
According to the community group, the woman was then rushed to hospital following the unprovoked assault.
UK: Clip, Jewish woman violently attacked while walking in the Stamford Hill neighborhood of London, no arrest, if you recognize this suspect contact police or Shomrim pic.twitter.com/wERe4AtoPg
— Yiddish News (@YiddishNews) March 22, 2021
Separate CCTV footage shows the alleged suspect fleeing the scene on foot.
"Pregnant woman & her unborn baby survive a horrendous attack after a male suspect attacked her from behind, placed a pillow over her head & punched her in her stomach several times in a vicious unprovoked attack," Shomrim said on Twitter.
Police are investigating the matter and it is yet to be determined whether the attack was racially motivated.
Pregnant woman & her unborn baby survive a horrendous attack after a male suspect attacked her from behind, placed a pillow over her head & punched her in her stomach several times in a vicious unprovoked attack.
CCTV shows the alleged suspect fleeing the scene in #StamfordHill pic.twitter.com/eByaHrB5B4— Shomrim (Stamford Hill) (@Shomrim) March 21, 2021
"The victim, a 20-year-old woman, informed officers that she had been approached from behind by the suspect, who put a cloth or pillow case over her head before assaulting her," a MET Police spokesperson said according to The Daily Mail.
Police said enquiries continue and no arrests have been made.
Shomrim, which founded by members of the North London Orthodox Jewish Community, said the volunteer organisation had "increased patrols after a recent spike in assaults on lone females".
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