KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City police are investigating a possible serial rapist in the Waldo neighborhood after two similar attacks in less than two weeks.
The first attack was Sept. 29 near 75th and Summit.
The second attack happened early Sunday morning in the 100 block of East 78th Terrace. The woman was brutally beaten when she tried to fight back. According to a police report, the man hit her in the face with a gun, started choking her and threatened to kill her. Police say she suffered bruises on her jaw. Her right eye was swollen shut.
As police investigate similarities in the two attacks, a department spokesperson says the information was processed and released to the public as quickly as possible.
Others wonder why police didn't alert the public sooner.
"I was in Waldo last night and the parking is not always ideal. I didn't know that I needed to be afraid that there was a rapist out there,” said Tracey Hawkins.
Hawkins is a safety expert who teaches safety to women and sells safety products.
She's shocked police didn't send out an alert as soon as they knew about the second attack.
"And how many other people need to know that they need to be on the lookout," said Hawkins.
The news was first seen in Tuesday's newspaper, more than 48 hours after Sunday's attack and we had just gotten an e-mail from a friend of Sunday's victim, wondering why police hadn't alerted the public.
She says: "I am fearful for any women living alone in the area. .....it is eerily similar.... has it been investigated?"
The commander of the special victims unit says he notified other police units Monday. He says many details are still being investigated.
"We've been working on this thing since the very beginning, trying to find out what is related, and what isn't.... and what our response is gonna be," said Capt. Mark Folsom.
Sunday's victim was forced to bathe after the rape, just like the attack on Sept. 29. Both woke up to find the suspect already in their house. Also, both victims had apparently moved into their homes recently.
Police are checking to see whether that's more than a coincidence.
"We are definitely looking at all angles to see if there is some involvement with different people who would have had access to those homes," said Folsom.
The police reports don't say anything about forced entry. As part of the investigation, detectives are holding back information about how the suspect got in.
Police don’t have any suspect information but ask people to call (816) 474-TIPS if they see anything suspicious.
Police say they will be stepping up patrols in the area.
Tuesday night, Tracey Hawkins taught a safety seminar at the Plaza library.
She says women should have an alarm system, or at least put up stickers and signs advertising one. Hawkins also says to make sure locks work on windows and doors.
