Police are searching for a man who they say sexually assaulted and robbed a teacher at Harker Middle School in San Jose, Calif., early Tuesday morning.
The female teacher was attacked in her classroom before school started at approximately 6 a.m., reports The Mercury News. San Jose police were notified of the attack about a half hour after it happened.
“This teacher came in early to eagerly prepare her classroom for the first day of school today after the winter break,” says school spokeswoman Pam Dickinson.
The suspect is described as a Latino man in his 20s with a heavy build and wearing a black beanie, dark blue jeans and a black t-shirt.
Investigators say there is no evidence pointing to a connection between the victim and the suspect.
Police released surveillance video and still images of the suspect who can be seen arriving on foot and fleeing on foot. The suspect was seen on video roaming the campus starting at 4 a.m. up until the time of the attack, according to ABC 7. He was last seen walking eastbound toward Boynton Avenue.
“Look at his gait. He’s got a unique walk,” says San Jose police sergeant Enrique Garcia of the footage. “Look at his body. This guy will stand out in a crowd because of the way his legs look, the way his body looks, and the way he walks.”
On Tuesday and Wednesday, San Jose police dispatched several additional school-liaison officers and increased patrols around the school and in surrounding neighborhoods. Five patrol cars were in the parking lot during morning drop off.
“We also have a large contingent of detectives assigned to this investigation,” says Garcia. “We’re looking at various law-enforcement databases to see if there’s anybody else who matches that particular method and physical description. But we still need the community’s help.”
Anyone who may have information related to the attack is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Samantha Huynh or Detective Jennifer Majors of the San Jose Police Department’s Sexual Assault Investigations Unit at 408-277-4102 or to call 911 with immediate suspect information.
