Orange County deputies are warning women not to walk or wait at bus stops alone after an early morning sex attack on Saturday.
Investigators said the attack happened just after 6 a.m. at a bus stop near the intersection of North Hiawassee Road and Hennepin Boulevard.
The attacker was wearing a mask and had a gun when he approached a woman at the bus stop and sexually assaulted her.
In a tweet about the attack, the sheriff’s office reposted a bulletin about a pair of bus stop attacks that happened on Feb. 2. In those attacks, a man robbed and sexually attacked two women in separate incidents at a bus stop near Hiawassee Road and River Oaks Drive, just north of West Colonial Drive. No arrests have been made in the previous attacks.
SAFETY ALERT: There was another attack at 6 am today, at a different bus stop at Hiawassee and Hennepin. The suspect was wearing a mask and had a gun. Try to avoid walking or standing alone at bus stops, especially in the dark. If you see anything suspicious, call 911. pic.twitter.com/HfbwXLz5px
— Orange County Sheriff's Office (@OrangeCoSheriff) February 25, 2023
Deputies have not said whether they believe all three attacks are connected.
“We want to make sure that residents in the area will be vigilant about their personal safety,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “We would urge women in the area to avoid walking or standing outside alone, particularly when it’s dark.”
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The sheriff’s office said it has stepped up patrols in the area and will continue to keep additional deputies there.
Investigators encourage anyone who may see something suspicious or who may have concerns for their safety to call 911.
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