Woman brutally attacked in Wachtberg Police receive tips following attack on walker in the forest

BONN/WACHTBERG · A 48-year-old walker was brutally attacked by two men on a forest trail in Wachtberg on Tuesday evening. After knocking her to the ground, the attackers tried to undo her clothing, leading police to believe it may have been an attempted sexual assault.

After the brutal attack on a 48-year-old woman while she was out walking in the Kottenforst forest area between Villiprott and Pech, police have received some tips, but so far nothing that could lead them to the culprits. Initial suspicions against two men aged 20 and 21 proved to be unfounded. A forest worker and some walkers who were often in the area reported to police that they had noticed suspicious vehicles in the area.

Police say that a cyclist who was in the area at the time of the attack had not yet contacted them. When he approached on his bike, the attackers fled. Investigators continue to look for him and other witnesses who may have information related to the crime.

On the days following the attack, there were no signs left in the forest of what had taken place. Walkers were out making their rounds through the idyllic forest called Kottenforst, which is situated between Villiprott and Pech. It was there that a 48-year-old woman survived what were probably some of the worst minutes of her life.

The woman had been out walking her dog

According to police reports on Wednesday, the 48-year-old woman had been out walking with her dog at around 6:50 pm on Langeweg, a trail popular with runners and bikers. At a crossroads, a connecting path between the Pech sports field and Villiper Allee, where a bench is located, the woman was suddenly attacked from behind by two men.

Investigations so far reveal that the men hit the woman so hard on the back of her head that she fell to the ground. She said she was then kicked multiple times by the attackers. "Here we are really talking about massive violence," said police spokesman Robert Scholten in response to a GA inquiry. The men had also tried to tear open the victim's clothes. The 48-year-old defended herself against the attack and screamed for help. When suddenly the cyclist passed the scene, the men left the woman and ran away.

The woman, who was injured in the incident, used her mobile phone to call family, who immediately alerted the police. She was taken in an ambulance to the hospital.

"We consider the attack a possible sexual offense," Scholten explained. A criminal investigation unit, which also handles cases of rape, has taken over the investigation. "The woman is in quite a state of shock," the police spokesman added. But she was able to give some information about the men, describing them as tall and remembering that they both spoke German without an accent.

Police are looking for witnesses

Investigators ask that anyone who may have observed anything about the events described or about suspicious vehicles in the area to contact the police at 0228/150. Scholten said they would be particularly interested in talking with the cyclist who passed through the area at the time when the crime was committed.

The Kottenforst in Wachtberg has never been considered particularly dangerous. "The forest here is heavily frequented by forest workers, walkers, cyclists and riders," said Ulf Hausmanns, chairman of a local Villip organization. During the day, the forest has been more “like a pedestrian zone and has been safe for generations”.

Still, some walkers were left anxious in the wake of the incident. A teacher was visibly shocked when she heard about what had happened. "You don't expect something like that here," she said. And another woman turned back when she heard what happened, preferring to walk through Villiprott. Orig. text: Silke Elbern/jab Translation: Carol Kloeppel

Meistgelesen
Neueste Artikel
Zum Thema
Aus dem Ressort