Columbia Police give update on MKT trail assault investigation: “Right now we continue to get leads”
It’s been two months since a woman was attacked on the MKT trail, and so far, there have been no arrests.
ABC 17 News checked back in with police today. They tell us they are taking the attack “very seriously” and are working to “apprehend him [the suspect] as quickly as possible.”
“Right now we continue to get leads,” Assistant Chief Jeremiah Hunter tells ABC 17 News. “People will call in with information and detectives are sifting through that information and following up on that. We get them almost weekly.”
When asked whether trail users should feel safe with the suspect still on the loose, Assistant Chief Hunter replied, “Absolutely you should. What we recommend always is always be cognizant of your surroundings at all time, whether you’re running, walking with a friend…It doesn’t matter.
He adds, “If you see something out of place that you feel necessitates a call to us–just call. Err on the side of calling the police and we’ll check things out for you.”
With regards to officers doing trail time, Assistant Chief Hunter says, “We do that periodically throughout the years if we have a need to increase our presence in the city, specifically the trails…just basically increase our presence so people know we’re out there and know there’s somebody to talk to if they see something.”
As ABC 17 News told you last month, some residents in Columbia are patrolling the trail in their off time, making sure everyone is safe.
The Columbia Parks & Rec Department has taken a similar approach. One employee tells ABC 17 News he watches “everybody,” adding, “any suspicious activity, we immediately report it.”
