DETROIT (WXYZ) — Detroit police say a suspect is in custody in connection with the rape of a woman at Van Antwerp Park in the northwest part of the city.
Rebecca McKay, Commander of the Major Crimes unit at DPD, says the incident happened just before 10 pm on September 1.
RAW VIDEO: Rebecca McKay Commander Major Crimes for DPD talks about rape arrest
The woman told police an armed man approached her in the area of St. Martins and Pinehurst.
He took her to a porta-potty in the nearby park and told her to get inside. When she refused, he fired a shot into the ground. It was at this point that she went into the porta-potty and, police say, the man assaulted her.
McKay says the woman went to the hospital and received a rape kit, but did not call police. She did post about the assault on social media, which McKay says is how DPD learned of the assault.
McKay says they investigated the case and were able to find a bullet casing in the park. She also says Shotspotter picked up a suppressed gunshot sound, but could not identify it for what it was because it was out of the monitored area.
Police were able to identify a suspect in the case and take him into custody. McKay says the victim identified him in a photo ID lineup. He is expected to be charged with Criminal Sexual Conduct First Degree in the coming days. His name has not yet been released.
Police have also not released any identifying information about the woman in the case, only saying she is an adult.
