Woman assaulted near Convention Center recognizes attacker, may be related to August attacks

WASHINGTON - As police investigate three sexual assault incidents near the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, a woman tells FOX 5 she was a victim of a similar sexual abuse incident in the area in July.

Police say they have been investigating the string of incidents since July. Authorities said it's unclear if the assaults are connected.

The woman, who asked FOX 5 not to identify her contacted FOX 5 after seeing our report about the rash of incidents, which happened over a 12-day period earlier this month.

The woman says on July 17, a man approached her from behind and asked for her phone number before grabbing her behind. Police arrested and charged 34-year-old Kenneth Lewis with misdemeanor sexual abuse.

The victim believes Lewis is the same man in the surveillance photo of the August attack, but D.C. police have not confirmed that, saying the case remains open.

In two of the cases in August, men are accused of sexually assaulting female victims, while a man is accused of grabbing a woman's butt in a third incident on August 11. In that incident, police released a surveillance image of the suspect, which the woman in the July incident says she recognized.

The victim says she believes the suspect is the same man who attacked her.