Police have arrested a man following an incident that left an elderly woman in distress on the evening of June 5 in Santa Monica. According to KTLA, officers responded to a call about a woman screaming for help near the intersection of 6th Street and Wilshire Boulevard. Reports suggested the 84-year-old victim was grabbed from behind and dragged toward an alley, where the suspect attempted to sexually assault her.
Multiple eyewitnesses came forward to corroborate her account, observing the suspect trying to quickly flee the scene. The officers apprehended the suspect, 39-year-old Pape Tall of Long Beach, close by near 5th Street and California Avenue. CBS Los Angeles stated that Tall was taken into custody facing charges for kidnapping with intent to commit rape, assault with intent and a violation of probation.
The Santa Monica Police Department's Lieutenant Lewis Gilmour informed the public that the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has filed felony charges against Tall. As detailed by the official Santa Monica government press release, these charges include kidnapping with intent to commit rape and assault with intent to commit rape, under the penal codes 209(b)(1) PC and 220(a)(1) PC, respectively. There's also the matter of a probation violation that Tall has to contend with. He remains in custody without bail, awaiting a court appearance scheduled for July 9.
Authorities are requesting for any individuals with additional information about the incident to reach out. Detective Maricela Orta and Sergeant Chad Goodwin have been mentioned as points of contact for tips, which could be crucial in aiding the investigation. "The victim reported that she was approached and grabbed from behind by a male suspect who then dragged her into a nearby alley and attempted to sexually assault her," said police in a statement obtained by KTLA, emphasizing the severity of the crime.
