Bellevue police are a looking for a man who they say attacked and groped two women in a short time span Saturday evening.
At about 6:20 p.m., an officer was responding to a report of a sexual offense in the 15500 block of Northeast 24th Street.
Police said a woman reported that a man walked up behind her and grabbed her private area from behind. After the suspect grabbed her, she screamed and he walked away.
The woman described the suspect as Indian/Hispanic, about 35 years old, wearing a black long-sleeve athletic top/jacket, black basketball shorts and black shoes. He had collar-length black hair, fuzzy facial hair and a heavy build.
Ten minutes later, another similar incident happened with the same suspect description at the Central Park East Apartments in the 1500 block of 156th Avenue Northeast.
Detectives said he found another victim at the apartments, followed her to her apartment door and also grabbed her in the same area of her body, according to the Bellevue Police Department Spokesman Seth Tyler, “this was a very scary incident for both victims, we are asking for the public's help in identifying the suspect.”
Brittany Medoro works at a bar across the street from the apartments where the second attack occurred, and was shaken by the incident when it was described to her, “that's awful, that's horrible, this is a safe community.”
According to a police report, police interviewed a bartender who said she recognized the suspect. The bartender told police she threw him out of the bar Friday for grabbing her butt.
KIRO 7 went to the bar and met Medoro, who is another bartender working at the bar, and she shared her story with KIRO 7 after seeing the suspect’s photo, “I do recognize that man yes.”
Medoro said she heard what happened to her coworker and had her own uncomfortable encounter with the suspect, “He was like, 'Hey babe…' I said 'No!'”
The two bartenders did not file police complaints. Medoro said her encounter happened last Monday before the groping attacks. She also said she has seen the man in the bar but he's never been a problem.
After a search, police could not find the suspect.
Bellevue police say there could be more victims and they're asking them to come forward.
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Cox Media Group
