Montgomery County Police are investigating a sexual assault that occurred only steps away from a popular park in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Shortly after 9 a.m. Thursday, police received a call that said a woman had been sexually assaulted in the woods behind the Long Branch-Arliss Neighborhood Park.
When they arrived, they discovered what appeared to be a homeless encampment littered with blankets and beer cans. Police gathered evidence from the site, taking clothes and swabbing a beverage container.
Three men who live at the encampment were taken into custody for questioning.
The victim was taken to the hospital for treatment.
That particular area of Silver Spring has been part of a long-term project funded by Montgomery County. For a year, they’ve been building the Long Branch pedestrian bridge to connect apartments with a nearby library and community center. Many residents play basketball and tennis at the recreation area, located only 50 yards from Thursday’s sexual assault. Locals say many single mothers bring their children to the park, making the crime that much scarier.
“I used to teach at Rolling Terrace school, which is a few blocks away,” said Carol Lite, who uses the Long Branch library. “It could have been one of my former students. For it to happen to anyone is just horrifying.”
