Women attacked near Como Regional Park
ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) - St. Paul police are investigating two cases in which women were sprayed in the face with a chemical irritant and nearly robbed by Como Regional Park.
Both incidents happened on October 18 around 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
In the first incident, a woman was walking north of Como Avenue and Lexington Parkway when a man came from behind her and spayed her in the face with a chemical substance. The man pushed her in the stomach, took her cell phone and then started grinding his groin against her. He tried to pull off her pants, but then the woman punched him in the face. He gave her back her cell phone before running away with two other men.
The second attack happened about a hour later at 7 p.m. A group of three men approached a woman. One man grabbed her hair and sprayed her in the face with mace or a similar substance. He tried to take the woman's backpack, but after she started screaming the men ran away.
Police are investigating whether the two cases are connected.