Chaos erupted in the Sawtelle neighborhood when a 63-year-old woman was attacked outside her home by a naked man, as local workers intervened to thwart what appeared to be a sexual assault. Rick Dreyfus, a general contractor, along with his crew, responded to the woman's cries for help on Thursday afternoon near Barry Avenue, as they were working at a construction site nearby, according to KTLA. Dreyfus reported that the man, later identified by the Los Angeles Police Department as 33-year-old Ishmail Bangura, had pinned the woman down on the ground.
Before the assault on the 63-year-old, Bangura is accused of hitting a 3-year-old child in a nearby apartment the Los Angeles Police Department told NBC Los Angeles. He was nude during both incidents, adding to the bizarre and harrowing nature of the events that have rattled the community. Bangura faces charges that include assault with intent to rape and burglary, and at this time it is unclear if he has obtained legal representation to speak on his behalf.
Councilmember Traci Park shared in a statement her demand for assertive policing, as she underscored the expectation that "they must take decisive action to remove dangerous and violent individuals from our streets before horrific incidents like this attack occur," as stated by KTLA.
