TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa police are investigating a sexual assault at Hunter Park in south Tulsa.
It happened around 6:15 p.m. on Aug. 21 at the park near 91st and Sheridan.
2 News checked back in with TPD on Aug. 25 to ask for any updates in the investigation. They said they have no updates at the moment.
The victim told police a man in his 40s or 50s approached her while she was walking in a wooded area of the park and sexually assaulted her. Two people at the park found her and called 911. The attacker did injure the victim.
"While this attack is similar to the recent attack at Turkey Mountain, we are not conclusively able to link the two right now. However, we are not eliminating the possibility that the suspect is the same in both incidents," TPD said.
Local News
Woman reports rape at Turkey Mountain
Neighbors in the area told 2 News that police knocked on doors in the surrounding neighborhoods looking for information or surveillance video of the area.
WATCH: Community reacts to recent attacks
2 News spoke with Donna Ford, who lives behind Hunter Park. She said the incident had her re-evaluating her safety.
"I did. I mean, I did, but I don’t know about now," said Ford, when asked about whether she felt safe. "I always felt safe, not always but most of the time I do carry mace with me.”
“We have an entire team of detectives on the Tulsa Police Department across multiple disciplines that are investigating this right now," said Lt. Darin Ehrenrich, speaking with 2 News. "There is enough similarities that we believe it could be related to what happened at Turkey Mountain earlier this week, but again we can’t definitely say that right now.”
WATCH the full interview with Tulsa police about the incident:
In a release posted to their Facebook Friday afternoon police urged people to be extra cautious.
We encourage all Tulsans to be extra cautious when out and about, and we strongly recommend that people use the buddy system, as there is safety in numbers. We also recommend that people consider some method of self-defense, such as pepper spray or other items.
We are actively investigating this incident and encourage anyone with information about the suspect or the event to contact the Tulsa Police Department Special Victim’s Unit at 918-596-9168 or SpecialVictimsUnit@cityoftulsa.org. You can always remain anonymous and call Tulsa Crime Stoppers at (918) 596-COPS
The City of Tulsa's Commissioner of Public Safety released a statement:
"The recent assaults on our community, specifically in our parks systems, are unacceptable and cannot happen in our city. The Mayor's Office supports and stands with the Tulsa Police Department and our law enforcement partners to bring these heinous acts of violence to an end and the perpetrators to justice.
As we look to enhance safety at our parks, we are actively working with the Real Time Information Center to deploy additional security cameras to both Hunter Park and Turkey Mountain. Additional City security patrols are also planned across the parks system.
This kind of violence has no place in Tulsa and we will take back our public spaces. We stand with the victims and we commend their strong perseverance through this difficult time."
Tulsa Parks Director Anna America said:
"We are deeply disturbed by the recent incident at Hunter Park and our hearts go out to the victim. We commend the victim's courage during this terrifying situation, and are thankful for those who called 911. Tulsa Parks is cooperating fully with law enforcement as they conduct their investigation. We take the safety of our visitors very seriously and will continue working with our partners to support a safe environment in our parks.
As a reminder to the community, it’s always a good practice to let someone know where you are and, when possible, enjoy our parks with others. As continues to be the case, if you find yourself in immediate danger, call 911.
Tulsa Parks belong to everyone, and together we can help ensure they remain safe and welcoming spaces for all."
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Watch LIVE 24/7 on YouTube
