1 in custody after woman sexually assaulted in Rogers Park, Chicago police say

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A man is in custody after Chicago police said a woman was sexually assaulted Thursday night in Rogers Park.

Police said the suspect is also a person of interest in a series of recent criminal sexual assaults on the North Side.

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The incident took place at about 11:07 p.m. in the 1800-block of West Lunt Avenue.

Police said a 21-year-old woman was walking in a gangway when she saw a 19-year-old man pull out a knife. The man then sexually assaulted the woman and rode away on a bicycle, police said.

The woman found a police officer, and responding officers were able to take the suspect into custody, police said.

RELATED: CPD searching for suspect committing robberies, burglaries, sex assaults on North Side

"I'm happy to hear that because a faster reaction time is of the utmost importance in a situation like this," said Bob Finholm, who lives nearby.

The woman was taken to St. Francis Hospital, where she was listed in good condition.

This is not far from where, police said, five other sexual assaults and robberies have happened recently.

"They have the perpetrator; that's a good thing for the families and the victims, both that the pain is still everywhere," said Joel O'Brien, who lives nearby. "It's just another reminder that we all need to wake up and love each other and join forces in unity."

Police said the suspect is a person of interest in those assaults.

In a community alert earlier this week, police warned about women being attacked and robbed between December and April.

In those incidents, the suspect also used a knife to threaten his victims and left each attack on a bicycle.

"The police, they're focusing on this area now because we actually have concerned citizens in this area," said Caroline Dawson, who lives nearby. "The people on the other side go to all the CAPS meetings and what have you."

It was difficult news for neighbors to hear.

"It is on average, that a sexual offender will offend five to seven times before they're caught. So this isn't uncommon to see," YWCA Associate Director of Advocacy Megan Rodgers said. "There's such a range of emotions, and you really see them all come out after an assault like this. So moving forward for a survivor kind of depends on what justice looks like for them."

For organizations who support victims, they say change starts with believing them.

"Until we get to a point where we understand how common and prevalent the problem is and what the dynamics are about, when survivors say, 'I have been harmed,' we need to believe them. And we need to take all the steps to make sure that someone is held accountable for those harmed," said Elizabeth Payne, with Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation.

Alderperson Maria Hadden said in a statement, "I was notified this morning that a person of interest is custody for a criminal sexual assault that occurred last night. Our sympathies are with the survivor and we have resources and supports available for them and anyone else that has survived a sexual assault. We are so grateful to Commander Christian and the 24th District police for their role in apprehending a person of interest and for the work they've been doing to find the person responsible for the sexual assaults in West Ridge."

Area Three detectives are investigating, and charges are pending.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, you are urged to call the Chicago Rape Crisis Hotline at 888- 293-2080.