NYPD: 2 Women Attacked In Separate Incidents In Morningside Heights

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police are looking for a suspect who they say attacked two women in two separate incidents in Morningside Heights.

Newly released surveillance video shows the suspect, dressed all in black, around the time of the most recent attack which police say happened around 2 a.m. Tuesday.

A 20-year-old woman was walking into her apartment building near West 116th Street and Riverside Drive when police said the man followed her into the building.

Police said he then grabbed the woman from behind before putting a napkin over her mouth, telling her not to scream. Both the woman and the man fell to the floor during the struggle and police said she was eventually able to break free from his hold.

The suspect ran out the building without getting any of her belongings.

Detectives believe that the same man may be behind a similar incident a few blocks away on West 111th Street around 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving.

In that case, police said he followed a 60-year-old woman into her building, placed her in a chokehold and slammed her against a wall.

"Before the door closed the guy jumps in," the victim's boyfriend, Jose Castillo, said. "Pushed her against the wall and grabbed her around the neck. Then she screamed."

A man in an upstairs apartment heard the commotion and rushed down to help, chasing away the suspect. Castillo says the man got away with a small purse, which had his girlfriend's business cards, but no money.

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782), visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or text tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.