The family of a Scranton woman who was attacked at gunpoint last month is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest or conviction of a suspect.
Vincent Simon, 51, a relative of the woman, grew up in the South Scranton neighborhood where the attack took place.
"It's frightening. We always felt it was a nice, safe neighborhood," the Scranton resident said. "It took one moment. Our family is traumatized."
Just before 11 p.m. on March 25, police responded to the 700 block of Willow Street. A woman reported that an armed man made her get into her car, take her clothes off and give him personal items before he assaulted her.
The attack left bruises and knocked out one of her teeth. She jumped out of the car as he began to drive away, she told city police.
The car was recovered 10 minutes later in Valley View Terrace, Housing Complex.
The suspect is described as a bearded, heavyset black man wearing dark clothes and standing 5 feet 10 inches tall.
Mr. Simon hopes the reward will protect other possible victims.
"It wouldn't have mattered what neighborhood it happened in," he said. "Other people are in danger until this person is apprehended."
To raise the reward money, Mr. Simon took his car to a financing agency, explaining that he wanted to have the funds available as soon as possible.
He encouraged anyone with information on the attack to rethink what they saw that night.
"They might have seen something and didn't realize it meant anything," he said of potential witnesses.
"I want this person to be caught, because I want my relative to have some sort of closure," Mr. Simon continued.
"We hope in the next couple of days, someone will come forward."
Staff Writer JOSEPH KOHUT contributed to this report.
Contact the writer: rbrown@timesshamrock.com, @rbrownTT on Twitter