Burbank woman’s screams scare off potential sexual assault attacker

A southwest suburban woman who was forced to the ground Tuesday by a man trying to sexually assault her started screaming, scaring off the man.

The 24-year-old woman was walking home from work about 7:45 p.m. when she was put in a bear hug and thrown to the ground near the intersection of 81st Street and Sayre Avenue in Burbank, according to Burbank police.

When he began trying take her pants off, she started screaming, police said. He quickly got off her and ran north.

The woman was “visibly shaken” and taken to a hospital for treatment, according to police.

The suspect was described as a black man, about 24 years old, standing about 5-foot-7 and wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, police said.

Anyone with information about the attempted sexual assault was asked to call Burbank police at (708) 924-7300.