The Clay County Sheriff’s Office released a sketch Thursday morning hoping it will lead to more information in a rape case.
The attack happened Monday morning near Blairmore and Blanding Boulevard. Deputies said the man entered the victim’s home, forcibly assaulted her, then ran away.
People who live at The Park at Blanding apartments, where it happened, said they’re being extra cautious and keeping an eye out.
“We saturated the area that morning,” Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook said. “We conducted an exhaustive, an extensive search, including using our police K9s but we were unfortunately not able to locate the suspect.”
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Deputies said he’s about 5′10″ wearing a black hoodie, slide-style sandals and black baggy shorts.
News4JAX talked to neighbors who say they didn’t recognize him and don’t think he lives around there. “I do live in the same place where it happened. It’s very scary to think about that. You can’t even come home to a safe place in your own house. Right now I even walk with mace because you never know.”
Another resident of the apartment complex told us, “The gates, they are open, there’s no cameras around. There’s nothing and so that’s why in another way it’s not safe because right now they can’t even see how he got in or where he went in through.”
Law enforcement sources said the victim doesn’t know the suspect. The victim’s father told News4JAX off-camera that the victim is a minor.
News4JAX sent an e-mail to the owners of the apartment complex asking what they are doing to increase safety following this incident. We also noticed a neighborhood watch sign next to the open gate, so we also asked if it is an active neighborhood watch/Clay County Sheriff’s crime watch group.
If you have any information about this case, call the Clay County Sheriff’s Office or submit a tip on the SafeWatch App. There is a $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest through the Florida Sheriff’s Association’s Criminal Apprehension Assistance Program.