Woman raped, robbed in alley near Gallaudet University, police say

WASHINGTON - D.C. police are investigating a robbery and sexual assault that took place early Saturday morning across from the campus of Gallaudet University.

According to the police report, a woman was walking on Penn Street in Northeast D.C. at around 6:30 a.m. Saturday when a man armed with a handgun came up from behind, pulled her cellphone out of her pocket and then forced her into an alley across the street. He then forced the victim to perform a sexual act and then raped her.

The suspect is described as a short black male in his late 30s with a dark complexion. He was last seen wearing dark clothing and was armed with a handgun, police say.

According to the crime mapping for this neighborhood, murders, sexual assaults and robberies are all up when compared to the same time last year. There have been three murders, five sexual assaults and 11 robberies with a gun in this very small vicinity of the Trinidad neighborhood.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call police at 202-727-9099. Tips can also be submitted to the police's text tip line at 50411. Crime Solvers of Washington, DC is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest and indictment of the person responsible.