A downtown Houston parking garage turned into a crime scene Thursday morning when a woman was attacked and choked, according to police. She managed to escape, ran to a nearby officer for help and was taken to a local hospital, where her injuries were described as non-life-threatening.
Attack and arrest
Houston police say officers were called around 9:10 a.m. to a report of an assault inside the parking garage at 601 Travis Street, just off the Theater District. Investigators told responding officers that the attacker, described as a homeless man believed to be in his early 20s, allegedly choked the woman and tried to sexually assault her before she broke free. Officers later spotted and arrested a suspect around noon near Main Street, and the woman’s vehicle was towed from the garage at about 1:15 p.m.; charges were still pending, according to KPRC Click2Houston.
Earlier TMC stabbing and security changes
The case comes on the heels of a high-profile May stabbing of a Houston Methodist employee in a Texas Medical Center parking garage, an attack that prompted hospitals and TMC officials to beef up patrols and update emergency signage. The Houston Chronicle reported that the victim survived and that administrators said the new measures were intended to speed emergency responses inside garages.
Police follow-up
KPRC reported that it obtained a still image police believe shows the suspect and that officers at the scene said they were already familiar with him in the area. The Houston Police Department has the suspect in custody, and detectives are continuing their investigation while charges remain pending, according to Click2Houston.
