WAYLAND, Mich. — More details are starting to emerge about an alleged sexual assault at the Rabbit River Park in Wayland. The city's police chief gave an update on the case Friday afternoon, and neighbors close to the scene spoke to 13 ON YOUR SIDE about their reaction to the news.
"I thought, oh man, that's too close to home," said Margaret, who lives just yards from the park entrance.
A middle-aged woman reported being sexually assaulted by two men while walking the trails at the park off of Elm Road Thursday morning around 10:30 a.m.
Wayland Police Chief Mark Garnsey said Friday that they are still in the very preliminary stages of the investigation.
"We have determined that there was a scene of some sort at Rabbit River," Garnsey said, "and we have evidence that there was an incident."
Police said after the alleged assault, the suspects were seen leaving going north toward Rabbit River, away from Elm Street.
Margaret said she remembers her neighbor, Joyce, calling her Thursday after hearing about what happened.
"She said 'make sure you keep your doors locked! A woman's been sexually assaulted or something,'" Margaret said, "'and the guys are running loose!'"
Joyce, who lives just a few doors down, also spoke to 13 ON YOUR SIDE.
"A lot of things happen at that park," she said. "It's like a hangout."
According to Chief Garnsey, the first suspect is in his mid-to-late 20s and is 5'10" with medium length hair, clean shaven and last seen in a brown coat.
The second suspect was also described as in his mid-to-late 20s and is 5'6" to 5'9". He has a larger waist and short black hair, and was last seen wearing a blue, black and white plaid coat.
"A lot of women go down there and walk that trail," Margaret said. "It's too bad that you can't go down and walk the paths and nature trails down there without somebody messing with you. It's scary."
Chief Garnsey said a lot of their officers were working late into the night on the investigation.
"So, not a lot of sleep," he said, "because we take this seriously, and our job is to bring this to a resolution."
"At about 9 last night I saw the police going through the dumpster," Joyce said, "so we just kind of watched what was happening all night long."
Chief Garnsey couldn't say if the victim was injured during the alleged assault or if a weapon was involved. Police also don't know if the attack was random or targeted.
"It's a balance of how much information can we get from a person at the time," Garnsey explained, "while also respecting their feelings, and so that their memory has a chance to work."
"Empathy and compassion is something that we take with us in this situation to help somebody through this," he added.
Garnsey also recommended that anyone using the trail in the future should use caution, walk or jog in groups and use personal protection devices.
"Always be careful when you're out places alone," he said. "And you can always carry personal warning devices, anything that makes noise, because noise tends to scare and frighten attackers away because it draws attention."
"This is certainly a crime of abnormality, and we don't deal with this very often," Garnsey added. "Most agencies don't deal with stranger-type cases because those are rare, anywhere you are."
"We're really making sure we're locking our doors now," said Joyce.
Garnsey said this investigation has already been a great collaboration between law enforcement agencies including the Wayland Police, Gun Lake Tribe Public Safety and Michigan State Police.
Police are asking anyone in the area near this time that possibly witnessed anything suspicious is asked to call the Wayland Police at 269-792-9366.
Contact the Wayland Police after hours by contacting the Allegan County Central Dispatch at 269-673-3899, and ask to be contacted by the Wayland Police.
Watch the full press conference with police below:
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