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Local Women Continue to Face Violent Attacks

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FAYETTEVILLE — There have been four attacks on women in our area in a span of just three days.

The most recent attacks were Wednesday morning. Police say the same man attacked a woman in a parking lot, and then tried to rape another woman in a medical building elevator.

Thankfully, both women only suffered minor injuries. Although a suspect has been caught, extra precautions are in place to make women feel safe.

Just behind the Fayetteville Amtrak Station a woman parked her car and was walking to her job at the Department of Social Services. A short time later a High Smith Rainey Memorial Hospital employee was heading to her job in a Medical Arts Center.

Police say 48-year-old Ransom Brewington attacked the DSS worker, and then tried to rape the hospital employee who had just gotten on the elevator.

"She fought him, resisted him, yelling and screaming," Fayetteville Police Sgt. Tim Hayworth said. "At that point he attempted to remove her clothes. The elevator door opened, and he was meeting such resistance that he ran out of the elevator."

Police say these attacks are not the first in the area. About three weeks ago, another woman was assaulted at the Medical Center.

Detectives are now trying to determine if the same man was involved. There has never been full time security at the medical building, owned by High Smith Rainey Hospital.

Officials say before Wednesday's attack, security officers would patrol both the hospital and medical complex parking lots. That has now changed.

"From this, we have a security guard in the medical arts building during hours of operation," Hospital spokesperson Jennifer Franklin said.

Even with heightened security, employees and patients who are just finding out about the attempted rape say they will be more careful.

"It makes me nervous," patient Barbara Johnson said. "When I come here three times a week, I will look around."

The suspect was pretty bold. Both the Amtrak Station and the Medical Arts Center are right next to the police department.

Brewington remains jailed Wednesday night on $30,000 bond.

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