Community members react after woman sexually assaulted on White Rock Lake Trail

Detectives said they’re asking for help to find a suspect who allegedly attacked a jogging woman from behind on a White Rock Lake trail and sexually assaulted her.

Dallas Police said the incident happened on Thursday, May 30, around noon along the trail near the 4800 block of W. Lawther Drive.

The victim told authorities she was running on the trail when she was ambushed from behind and sexually assaulted by a man. Despite an extensive area search, officers could not find the suspect.

Detectives described the suspect as a white man, about 5’5”, with a skinny build and a slight belly. He had short, clean-cut red hair and a beard and wore a blue crew-neck shirt.

Authorities said the suspect could have scratches on his face and body. The police department released a composite sketch of the alleged attacker in hopes of getting his identity.

Residents near the attack scene are to watch out for suspicious individuals who match the suspect's description and call 911 to report any suspicious activities.

On Tuesday afternoon, multiple police units and their helicopter patrolled the area; however, no suspects were apprehended.

According to data from Dallas Police, cases of violent crime against people in Northeast Dallas are down slightly over five- in comparison to this time last year. However, last week’s sexual assault makes those on the trail uneasy. Running clubs, cyclists, and community groups are taking to social media to share the incident, which has now heightened awareness among visitors.

"It's frustrating. It's scary," Melissa Logan said. Logan frequents White Rock Lake for her runs. "I love this lake, and I just, I hope it continues to be a place where people can, like for me, rediscover, you know, the joy of running."

Logan wears her smartwatch and carries her phone for safety.

"I make sure that my husband knows where I am," Logan said. "Mostly, I just run in familiar places."

She was one of the few runners exercising without headphones on Tuesday morning.

"I don't wear headphones. I (had) started wearing headphones in one ear. And I just had an incident with a cyclist going by really closely. And I just decided it wasn't worth it," Logan said. "I'm just really conscious about what I hear around me."

Kelly Heatly is the director of communications for Dallas Running Club, one of the metroplex's oldest and largest running clubs. She said one of the runners' biggest safety tools is simply looking up.

"When you're running, part of being aware of what's around you and who's around you is to make eye contact with people you come in contact with... There's sort of the fellowship of running when you look someone in the eye and kind of nod and smile, give a little wave. But it's also a good way to indicate to someone who doesn't seem quite right to you," Heatly said.

"I think it only takes a second to see someone, especially when you make eye contact. You see them, you take it all in, and you've got a picture of them instantly," Heatly said.

Citizens are encouraged to use safety measures, including being socially aware, going out with another person, letting a trusted friend or relative know their whereabouts, and staying in a well-lit area during nightfall.

"It's always best to run in an area with other people. If you're not running in a group, at least in an area where you have other runners, walkers, (or) other traffic," Heatly said. Running with a group, even one other person that makes a group, it certainly is more motivating for you, but there is safety in numbers."