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Police: Woman sexually assaulted in North Seattle

Police are looking for a man who attacked a woman in North Seattle Friday night.

SEATTLE — According to police, a woman was walking home from the Northgate Mall area around 7 p.m. when she was jumped by an unknown man who pulled her into a weeded area.

The woman fought with the man as he sexually assaulted her, police said.

The man then ran away.

The woman then walked home where her roommate called police. She was taken to Harborview Medical Center for treatment.

KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reporter David Ham spoke with Amber Johnson, who works at the mall, and she said she keeps her guard up whenever she walks home.

“That’s really scary. I had no idea. My boyfriend makes me carry pepper spray with me and he’s always telling me to leave my hands on my pepper spray,” said Johnson. “I’m not surprised. I can see it happening here. I mean I’d be more surprised if I see it happening in maybe Bellevue or something because Northgate just has a pretty gritty past, I would say. I don’t think it’s unusual."

Detectives from the Seattle Police Department’s Special Assault Unit responded to the location and searched the area for the attacker, but couldn’t find him.

Police described the attacker as a white man, about 20 to 30 years old, with very short (buzz-cut) light-colored hair, medium height and a thin build.

According to police, the victim described the man "methy-looking," with very bad teeth, sunken eyes and a wiry build.

The incident remains as an active investigation.

Anyone with information is urged to call 911.