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NYPD: Suspect Arrested In Attack On Woman Inside Harlem Elevator

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – The NYPD has arrested a man accused of attacking a woman inside a Harlem apartment building.

Yakim Daniels, 41, faces charges of sex abuse, robbery, burglary and criminal possession of a weapon.

In an exclusive interview with CBS2's Marc Liverman, the 28-year-old victim said her attacker followed her onto an elevator at her building near West 138th Street.

"He started asking questions, like if I had roommates or if I had a boyfriend," she said. "I didn't think anything of it, because it was Sunday afternoon. I was just trying to get home."

Harlem Sex Assault Suspect
Surveillance image of a suspect who police say is wanted for a sex assault in Harlem on June 17, 2018 credit: NYPD

Once the elevator door opened again, police said the man grabbed her from behind.

"I turned around and I was like, 'What are you doing?' And it started to click then I've never seen him in this building, he probably doesn't live here," she said.

She screamed, and the man took off down the stairs.

"I just wanna make sure that nobody else gets hurt from this same person," she said.

As he walked out of a police station Thursday night, Daniels denied trying to rape the woman.

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