Crime, Law and Justice

Suspect arrested in pair of Brooklyn Park sexual assaults

Brooklyn Park police say a 25-year-old man is in custody after allegedly breaking into two homes over the past week and sexually assaulting women at gunpoint.

Police Chief Mark Bruley announced the arrest Wednesday night.

The suspect is accused of two early-morning assaults just blocks apart — one last Friday, and the other on Wednesday. Bruley said the man had recently been released after serving a prison sentence.

“He’s been out of prison since July 7 — I mean, just 10 days out of prison, was able to get a gun, possess that gun and sexually assault, in home invasion style, our citizens of Brooklyn Park. That is simply unacceptable,” Bruley said at a news conference.

The suspect was arrested hours after authorities announced a multi-agency task force focused on the case, involving city, county, state and federal agencies.

Bruley said a Brooklyn Park police sergeant remembered previously encountering someone who had exhibited similar behavior. Bruley said they learned that man had just been released from prison and was living in a home near the scenes of the two assaults — and the task force moved quickly.

“Mass deployment of detectives working in a united front to find resources and follow up on every lead in minutes, not hours or days or by email — but literally driving to people’s houses and getting the direct information,” he said. “That is the power of what happened here with this joint task force move that we made.”

Charges against the suspect are pending.