WHITTIER, Calif. — Customers and employees at a California grocery store are credited with racing to help a girl who was being attacked in a bathroom, holding down the suspect until officers arrived.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department released photos of the suspect in a news release, and said the man followed a juvenile female victim into the bathroom at the Stater Brothers supermarket, locked the door and tried to sexually assault her.
Detectives identified the suspect as Steven Daniel Magdaleno.
When the victim screamed for help, customers and employees heard and ran to help. In the news release, deputies said that store employees detained Magdaleno.
Magdaleno was charged with attempted rape by force, a lieutenant with the sheriff’s department told KNBC.
Investigators said in their news release that based on the incident, they believe there may be other victims, and said they were releasing Magdaleno’s photo in the hope that those victims will come forward.
The victim was taken to a hospital for treatment, KCBS reported.
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