A routine trip home turned into a confrontation Monday afternoon when a Philadelphia woman stepped in after witnessing a 63-year-old woman being sexually assaulted in the Point Breeze neighborhood.
The incident happened around 4:15 p.m. near 18th and Federal streets, according to police. Investigators say the older woman was approached from behind by a man she did not know, who grabbed and inappropriately touched her before leaving the area. No injuries were reported.
Mary Martin, who was riding her bicycle home from work, said she noticed what was happening and immediately confronted the man. When he continued trying to leave, Martin used the bicycle helmet she was carrying to strike him several times.
Martin said she initially shouted at the man to stop. After seeing how upset the woman was, she decided she could not simply watch him walk away.
The confrontation eventually caused the suspect to flee. Martin then took photographs of him as he ran from the area and later provided those images to detectives investigating the case. She also accompanied the victim to Philadelphia’s Special Victims Unit to make a report.
Police have released photographs taken by Martin as they continue trying to identify the man. Investigators are handling the case through the department’s Special Victims Unit.
The incident occurred during the afternoon in an active part of Point Breeze, with businesses and other people nearby. That detail has drawn attention from residents who said the circumstances were unsettling.
Martin later said she recognized that continuing the confrontation could put her own safety at risk. After getting photographs of the suspect, she shifted her attention back to making sure the woman was safe.
She also encouraged people who witness troubling behavior to speak up and seek help rather than simply ignoring what is happening.
Police have not announced an arrest in connection with the incident. The investigation remains ongoing as detectives work to identify the suspect.
Anyone with information that could help investigators identify the man is being asked to contact Philadelphia police.
