Female jogger attacked on BPA trail

By ERICA JAHN

Staff writer

A female jogger was attacked on the BPA trail last Sunday night, and police are looking for the man who did it.

The 40-year-old Federal Way woman was jogging alone when the man attacked her about a quarter-mile north of the King County Aquatic Center, police said.

It was dark when the woman was attacked, about 10:20 p.m.

“That’s what time fireworks will be going off next weekend,” said Federal Way police spokesman Kurt Schwan. “It’s pretty well dark by then.”

The woman was able to struggle free and run from her assailant, whom she described as a white male, 5 feet 8 or 9 inches, with a thin build, wearing a black mask with eyeholes, a black t-shirt and jeans.

Schwan declined to reveal the manner in which the woman was attacked, but said the way the attack occurred led police to believe it would have escalated into rape had the woman not fought to free herself. She received minor injuries during the attack.

Schwan said police didn’t know if the woman had any self-defense training, but he recommended that anyone who is attacked should fight to get away.

“Defend yourself the best you can,” he said. “Do what you need to do get away. Unfair shots are fair shots in that situation.”

Police are asking anyone with information about the attack to call the Federal Way Police Department at 661-4600 or 911.

Staff writer Erica Jahn can be reached at 925-5565 and editor@fedwaymirror.com

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