A woman sunbathing in New York City's famed Central Park was attacked Monday by a man who exposed himself and tried to sexually assault her, police said.
The 21-year-old woman was alone in an area known as the Great Hill when the man approached her around 1:30 p.m., New York Police Department Chief of Patrol John Chell said.
She screamed and ran off when she saw the man exposing himself but he chased her down and tackled her from behind, Chell told reporters during a news conference in the park.
The man tried to "get on top of her" but she "valiantly fought him off" and he ran away southbound on the park's West Drive, Chell said.
The woman was taken to a local hospital where she was being interviewed by Special Victims Unit detectives, Chell said.
The NYPD deployed all its strategic response groups to the park and had drones flying overhead to investigate the shocking daylight attack.
"Right now, we're searching every part of this park for witnesses or any evidence you might find," Chell said.
Cops will also be canvassing surrounding areas for any surveillance video of the attacker.
NYPD spokesperson Tarik Sheppard noted the iconic nature of the park and its popularity among both New Yorkers and tourists.
"There's an expectation to keep this place safe and that's exactly what we intend to do," he said. "We're going to continue to be out here until we feel that this perpetrator is off the streets."
