Police release sketch of suspect in Palos Hills sex assault

PALOS HILLS, Ill. (WLS) -- Police released a sketch of a suspect in the sexual assault of a woman in southwest suburban Palos Hills Friday morning.

Detectives said the man pointed a gun at the woman as she got out of her car near the Hickory Hills Country Club, ordering her to drive to another location where he assaulted her and fled on foot with her purse.

"I'm going to be extra careful now. Extra careful. You can't let down your guard now at all," said Ethel Williams, resident.

"It's frightening, especially when there's kids around, and there are women. And if people know routines of what people have, it makes it even more frightening," said resident Jennifer Struss.

The victim described her attacker as a black man, 18 to 19 years old, with a thin build weighing around 120 lbs. and about 5 ft. 6 in. tall, wearing a grey hoodie and blue jeans.

The attack happened just half a mile from the police station. Authorities have not said they if think the victim was targeted, or if this was a random crime of opportunity.