“I didn’t hear it:” Neighbors frustrated they couldn’t stop sexual assault of 17-year-old girl

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Milwaukee police are investigating a sexual assault that happened near S. 14^th and Rogers about 6:45 p.m. on February 13th -- and the victim is a teenager.

According to police, a 17-year-old girl reports that a suspect, who was armed with a utility knife,  approached her on the street and sexually assaulted her.  The suspect also hit the victim several times before a witness responded to the victim’s calls for help and scared the suspect away.

As police search for the suspect in this case, neighbors say they wish they could have done something to stop it.

"She was upset. She was crying. I'm frustrated that I didn't hear it. She said and the police said that it happened on the front lawn here. I came down off my porch after I heard about it from the police and I came down and gave her a hug and stuff. I didn't know what else to do. I asked her 'well, was it somebody you knew?' And she said "no, it was just a random guy walking down the street,'" a neighbor said.

"She was kinda shaken up because she was shaking a little bit. Knowing that something like that happens right next door, it's kinda shocking," a neighbor said.

We're told the attack happened on the front lawn of an empty home that's under construction.

Neighbors say they usually try to look out for one another, but lately, that's been difficult.

"It's been cold outside, so no one's really out here and that's probably why he got away with it," a neighbor said.

The suspect is described as a black male, standing 6' tall, weighing 160 pounds. He has short “puffy” hair, and he was wearing a black vest, a grey sweater, and black jeans.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at (414) 935-7405.