After an extensive manhunt, the NYPD apprehended a man suspected of exposing himself and attempting to assault an 11-year-old boy in Norwood. News of the incident was shared on the 52 Precinct’s official Twitter account one day after officials posted a plea to help find the suspect.

According to the police officials, the man approached the boy inside a residential building near East Gun Hill Road and DeKalb Avenue on Jan. 23 around 5:25 p.m. The man allegedly then took the 11-year-old to another floor and exposed his genitals to him. Video surveillance caught the suspect inside an elevator. Police believe the man was trying to sexually assault the child.

News of the alleged assault was the talk of the neighborhood. Carol Velasquez lives in Norwood and saw the police activity on DeKalb Avenue following the alleged incident. She believes that, in general, no one is safe in the Bronx, but she views this specific attack differently. “This [the sexual assault] is out of the ordinary for this neighborhood.  It’s scary to hear it happened down the block,” Velasquez said. “I hadn’t heard of anything like this before.”

Hugo Valdez is also familiar with Norwood and often walks on East Gun Hill Road. “When it comes to crime,” Valdez said, “There’s always something happening in the area.” Asked if sexual assault crimes are prevalent in the neighborhood, Valdez affirmed, “No, no, not sexual assault. I don’t hear about crimes like that in this neighborhood.”

The mother of a daughter who attends a daycare center on the same street as the alleged assault, Annick Green, says she won’t judge the neighborhood based on one crime. She said, “I don’t think that this attack is a reflection of this neighborhood. In fact, it shouldn’t be a reflection of any neighborhood.”