Police: Woman sexually assaulted in Westfield; suspect remains on the loose

Police in Union County are searching for a man wanted for a sexual assault and home invasion.
Westfield police say that the attack happened around 12:50 p.m. on Tuesday at a home near Forest and Longfellow avenues.
Police say that the man was armed, forced his way into the home and sexually assaulted the victim.
A sketch provided by the Union County prosecutor shows that the suspect appears to have dark skin and was wearing a dark hoodie and surgical mask.
The attack has left many in the quiet neighborhood shaken and scared.
“As a mom of daughters, a wife and the first female mayor of this town, this feels very personal to me,” says Westfield Mayor Shelley Brindley.
She says that police are working around the clock to make an arrest.
“When something like this happens, it takes away your sense of security. Especially in your own home. So we are doing everything to make our community feel safe,” Brindley says.
Police are collecting video from neighborhood surveillance cameras in the hope of identifying the suspect.
Anyone who may have information about the crime is urged to contact Union County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Annie Coll at 908-347-2474 or Westfield Police Department Detective Betsy Savnik at 908-789-6078.
Authorities say that the suspect should be considered armed and dangerous, and members of the public should not approach him.