MPD investigates second incident involving female joggers at Overton Park

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Overton Park visitors are on alert after a teenage girl was assaulted Wednesday.

Now we’re learning a second incident involving a female runner was reported the same day.

The 17-year-old girl was assaulted Wednesday afternoon around 12:30 while walking in the midtown park.

She shared with Action News 5 that she felt like she was being followed when she was suddenly picked up and pulled into the bushes but was able to escape uninjured.

It turns out a police report shows a suspect matching the same description began following another female jogger in the park just hours after that incident around 8:30 in the evening.

We spoke to one woman who didn’t want to be on camera who witnessed that incident, “I saw this lady running like there was a person running like a foot away from her, so I just thought it was really weird and he was like staring at weird places.”

Action News 5 also contacted the second victim via phone. She says the same man last week was following her while she was running on the wooded trails.

She decided to switch up her routine Wednesday night and run on a more populated part of the park. She also asked her husband to accompany her to the park to be safe.

She says she screamed for her husband when the suspect began running extremely close to her. Her husband chased the suspect in his truck but lost sight of him.

Both women describe the suspect as skinny, about medium height with short, twisted hair.

In the police report, police say while the suspect was running, he dropped his red bag that had various clothing items and toilet paper inside.

Both women involved told Action News 5 that the suspect appeared homeless.

Overton Park officials said in a statement Wednesday that they are working with Memphis Police and asking parkgoers to be extra vigilant.

If you have seen this suspect, you are asked to call Crimestoppers at 901-528-CASH.

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