Woman describes escaping attack by armed man in West Town

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A Chicago woman describes the horrifying attack by a gunman while walking into work in the West Town neighborhood early Thursday morning.

She made a split second decision to run and managed to get away from her attacker.

The attack took place in the 600 block of North Leavitt.

"Not many women make it out, they don't get a chance to tell their story," the victim said.

The 29-year-old victim and single mother is shaken up, her life forever changed.

Heading into work Thursday morning after 6 a.m., she was waiting to be let inside the main doors of Mitchell Elementary School in the 2200 block of West Ohio, when someone came up behind her with a gun and demanded money. She told him she didn't have any money.

"And then he grabbed my arm, put the gun to my side and told me to follow him..." she said.

The suspect then led the victim into a nearby alley.

"Then he told me to shut up and turn around, he cocked his gun and put it to the back of my head and then he says- in that moment I really thought I was gone, you know- but then he says, 'Take all your clothes off.'"

She says as he attempted to sexually assault her, he stopped and bent down to dig in her purse and she made the split-second decision to act.

"I felt the gun slide down to my neck that's when I just smacked it and I took off running, screaming and hollering," she recalled.

That's when a jogger spotted her and ran over to help.

The suspect took off running leaving all of her things behind.

She has never felt such relief.

"In that moment, I was so happy to see that man."

Chicago police issued an alert following the attack.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Area Central detectives at (312) 747-8380.