Bloomington woman reports stranger attacked her

A Bloomington woman told police she was attacked and strangled by a stranger while walking home Saturday morning.

The victim, 34, said she was walking to a convenience store when she noticed she had left her wallet at home and began walking back to her residence, Sgt. Jeff Canada of the Bloomington Police Department said.

The woman told police she noticed a man was walking behind her in the area of 17th Street and Woodburn Avenue around 9:30 a.m. She felt that the man was catching up to her so she tried knocking on the door of a nearby residence.

Nobody answered, the victim reported, and the man attacked her from behind. She said the assailant choked her until she thought she was going to lose consciousness before leaving the scene.

A witness alerted police about the attack around 9:40 a.m, telling officers that a man had been seen battering a woman, Canada said. Upon arriving in the area, the officers located the victim.

She had abrasions on her knees and elbows, as well as scratches on her shoulders and back. There were also marks on her neck, Canada said.

The suspect is described as a white male with pale skin and dark hair in his early- to mid-20s.

Anyone with any information about the attack is encouraged to call the Bloomington Police Department at 812-339-4477.

— Jake New