Police search for suspect in Hamilton Heights sex assault

HAMILTON HEIGHTS, Manhattan (WABC) -- The NYPD is searching for a man suspected of sexually assaulting a woman in northern Manhattan.

The incident happened at about 3:30 a.m. in Hamilton Heights.

Police say the 19-year-old woman was entering a building in the vicinity of West 145th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue, when the suspect approached her, restrained her against the wall and made direct physical contact with the victim's genital area before fleeing the scene.

Police describe the suspect as a male Hispanic, 25-30 years old, between 5'8" tall and 140 lbs. with brown eyes, black hair and last seen wearing a baseball cap, T-shirt and jeans carrying a knapsack, cellphone and shopping bags.

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).