Police are searching for a man who sexually battered a woman at knife-point in Fort Lauderdale.
The incident happened Monday night in the 600 block of Northwest 3rd Avenue when the woman was approached by the armed suspect, Fort Lauderdale Police said.
The suspect threatened the woman and forced her into an abandoned building where he sexually battered her, police said. He then fled the scene.
"The female was able to get away and run for help," said Det. Kevin Dupree.
The woman was taken to Broward Health Medical Center and the Nancy J. Cotterman Sexual Assault Treatment Center.
Police released a sketch of the suspect and described him as a black male, about 40 years old, 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-10, with a medium build. He has brown eyes and black hair in a short afro and had two gold teeth and a scar under his left eye. Police said he's known by the victim as "Chris."
Residents told NBC 6 crime is common around the area, but this type of thing is not. One man, who didn't want to be identified, said he believes all the crime is related to the drug trade.
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"You have people coming into the areas for the drugs and if you sit by the fire, you will get burned," the man said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.
