Ames police are asking for the public’s help in finding a man who reportedly assault a runner Sunday evening.
Commander Jason Tuttle says the woman reported she was running and stopped to send a text.”And at that point she was approached from behind by a man who struck her in the head and stabbed her several times in the side. The man then ran away to the south and the victim ran to her home nearby and called the police department,” Tuttle says.
He says the woman was not seriously injured and was treated and later released from the hospital. Tuttle says this is an unusual case. “We haven’t had anything like this. This area of town is near Bandshell Park here in Ames which is generally a pretty frequently used park,” Tuttle says. The woman told police she did not think she knew the man — who she described as a white male with dark hair, about six feet tall, wearing a dark T-shirt with lettering and jeans.
“This is concerning that apparently a random person attacked the victim in this case,” Tuttle says. Tuttle says anyone who is out at night should remain aware of their surroundings. He says you should yell for help if something does happen and call 911 as soon as you can. “We’ll have extra patrols in the area throughout the rest of the week. You just really do need to be vigilant and be aware of your surroundings. Don’t let your phone — as with any case whether you are driving or what have you — we don’t want your phone to be a distraction,” Tuttle says.
He says the same is true if you are listening to music while you are out. Keep aware of what is happening around you at all times.