‘It’s disheartening’: Police search for suspect after home break-in, sexual assault

CHARLOTTE — Detectives with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department are asking for help from the community to find a man who broke into an 86-year-old woman’s north Charlotte home Saturday night and sexually assaulted her.

The sexual assault happened around 7:30 p.m. on Hucks Road off Old Statesville Road in north Charlotte.

At a news conference on Monday afternoon, Deputy Chief Tonya Arrington emphasized the importance of finding the assailant.

“As a female, and then a person that has, God rest their souls, grandparents, I can only imagine what she is going through, at this time, mentally, physically, emotionally -- 86 years old -- just doesn’t make any sense,” she said.

Arrington said the suspect and the victim did not know each other.

“It’s disturbing,” Arrington said. “Makes me angry.”

The suspect is in his mid-to-late 20s and is 5 feet 11 inches tall. He is heavy-set and was wearing a jacket, hat, and jeans.

The victim told police that her attacker ran off on foot.

CMPD said there are extra patrols in the area.

Detectives have not been able to find any video or photos to help them in the case.

“It says that we need to be careful and mindful of the people in the area that’s walking around, just be more cautious of your surroundings,” Pentrella Mitchell, a neighbor, said.

Channel 9 crime reporter Glenn Counts went to the neighborhood to get information. Counts learned that the victim was doing alright physically, and neighbors said her family was taking care of her.

The portion of Hucks Road where the incident happened is usually very quiet leaving residents rattled by the seemingly random violence that happened.

“Yeah probably have to get like an alarm, a better alarm system now and everything looks into different things to get safe cause like I said I have young kids,” Shardeasia Richardson told Counts.

Sharonda Ford is not only one of the neighbors in the community but is also a counselor who works with victims of sexual assault.

“So I am praying that she has support around here and just prayerful that she will get through this, that is not easy to overcome,” Ford told Counts, “it’s disheartening and I think it speaks volumes where we are in the world.”

This is a developing story; check back at wsoctv.com for updates.

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