East Village woman evades trespasser who tried to force his way into her apartment

BY GABE HERMAN | A woman was able to escape from an attack inside an East Village apartment building, according to police.

The incident occurred on Friday, Oct. 25, around 11 p.m. A man allegedly followed a 19-year-old woman into a residential building near East 7^th Street and Avenue A. Once inside the building, they both entered the elevator.

When the woman got off the elevator and walked to her apartment door, officials say that the man approached her from behind and covered her mouth. He then allegedly wrapped his other arm around her waist and demanded that she open the door to her apartment.

The woman refused and yelled out for help. A neighbor opened her door to see what was happening, and the attacker released the victim and ran to the elevator, police said. He fled out of the building in an unknown direction.

Police described the man, who is wanted for burglary in the 9^th Precinct, as black, 20 to 25 years old and 6 feet 2 inches tall. He was last seen wearing a black baseball cap, a white hooded sweater, black shorts and black sneakers.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA), visit the Crime Stoppers website or send a direct message on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.