NYPD seek suspect in attempted rape inside NYC store

NEW YORK CITY - The NYPD is looking for the man in connection with an attempted rape and robbery inside a NYC store.

The incident happened on Sunday around noon inside a store near Madison Avenue and East 108 Street in East Harlem.

According to police, the woman was approached by a man who threw her to the ground, threatened her with a knife and attempted to rape her.

The man then ran toward Park Avenue with three cellphones and $1,000 from the store, police said. The victim went to a hospital by private means.

The individual is described as a man with a dark complexion, around 25 to 30 years old, 5'8", 160 lbs., slim build, short black hair and a short black beard. He was last seen wearing black-colored clothing.

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).

Meanwhile, a person of interest connected to the brutal choking and raping of a woman is now in custody and faces several charges.

Police previously identified Kashaan Parks, 39, as the suspected attacker, and confirmed that he was detained over the weekend. He faces a slew of charges, including rape, assault, sex abuse and strangulation. He has two prior arrests, police tell FOX 5 NY.

In a horrific video shared to multiple news outlets, the 45-year-old victim is attacked from behind on the sidewalk at East 152nd Street and Third Avenue in the Bronx's Melrose neighborhood.

The attacker, who obscured his face with a white towel, takes out a belt and wraps it around the woman's neck.

The man is seen pulling the woman to the ground, holding her until she loses consciousness, before dragging her between two cars, where he raped her, police said.

According to the latest NYPD statistics, there has been a 5.1% increase in rapes this year. As of May 5, a total of 511 rapes had been reported in the city.