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Officials investigate two reported attacks on Bloomington trails this month

BLOOMINGTON, IN (WISH) – Bloomington Police are investigating an attack on a walking trail. It happened around 11:45 a.m. Tuesday on a trail near the Winslow Sports Complex.

This is the second reported incident on a trail in Bloomington this month. On August 4th a woman reported that she was pulled from the Clear Creek Trail and sexually assaulted.

Bloomington Police say in this most recent situation a woman was running on the trail when a man came up from behind.

“She had been grabbed from behind by a male wearing a blue ski mask and a black hoodie that was zipped all the way up. He tried to pull her off the trail into the woodlands… she fought back. She did a knee to the groin and he then ran off,” said Captain Steve Kellams.

Captain Kellams said based off the actions and descriptions of the suspects he does not believe the two cases are connected.

Police say they are following up on tips and hoping to review video of people coming and going on the trails.

Captain Kellams says he hopes these incidents don’t stop people from going out on the trails, however, he reminds runners and walkers to take the same precautions on the trails as they would anywhere else.

“The trails are safe. Of all the case reports taken in Bloomington this year, only one percent of those case reports have been on any trail system in the city of Bloomington,” said Captain Kellams.

Both the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and Bloomington Police Department say they’re stepping up patrols in the area.