The NYPD has appointed a special tactical team to help find a man who sexually assaulted a 52-year-old woman. Police believe the suspect is very dangerous and he could strike again.
"We very much want to find out who did this to her and get that person off the streets," says Special Victims Unit Captain Elisa Anders.
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Making this sexual assault case a top priority, Captain Anders provided Eyewitness News with more in-depth details in an exclusive interview.
"It was unusually brutal - she was physically assaulted, very badly. She is still hospitalized," Anders said.
The vicious sexual assault occurred at 8:33 Monday morning near 72nd Road and Kissena Boulevard in Kew Gardens Hills. Police discovered an Asian female unconscious with serious injuries to her face and her body.
"She has not been able to speak to us yet," says Deputy Chief Michael Baldassano.
The update on the victim came earlier this week after police released video of the suspect caught on camera five minutes away from the scene.
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Investigators have now found more video showing a closer shot of the man's face.
"Very distinctive clothing, so if anyone knows who he is, please give us a call," said Captain Anders.
A special tactical team made up of at least 40 people is working the case utilizing technical and social resources - even Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea was posting the suspect's pictures and video on Twitter and the $10,000 reward.
Now there is a clearer shot of his face captured on a Q44 bus. Captain Anders says they have been able to run facial recognition.
"We have our facial recognition working on it as we speak," she said.
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Anders added that there aren't any results she could tell right now.
Police think the suspect could strike again in the same vicious way and they want to catch him as quickly as possible.
"We don't believe she was stalked for a period of time - we believe it was random," Anders added, "A case like this leaving a victim as brutally beaten as she was is extremely troublesome."
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