A 32-year-old man was arrested Monday in connection with a sexual assault early Friday morning near the University of Arizona campus, police said.
Johnny Angel Salazar was booked into the Pima County jail on suspicion of sexual assault and kidnapping, according to a Tucson Police Department Facebook post.
Two officers were driving Monday morning in the area of East Grant Road and North First Avenue when they spotted a man matching the description of the assailant, police said.
The man was detained without incident by the officers, and he was later identified as Salazar and arrested in the case, said police.ย
On Friday shortly after 2 a.m., a girl in her late teens was walking through a parking lot in the 900 block of East Speedway when she was approached by a stranger, said Sgt. Pete Dugan, a department spokesman. The area is between North Euclid and North Park avenues.
The man grabbed the girl and brandished a large knife, threatening to harm her if she didn't follow his directions, said Dugan. He said the man forced the girl to walk with him west on Speedway and then north on Euclid.
During the walk, in unlit areas, the man sexually assaulted the girl multiple times, Dugan said. He eventually released her and ran away.
Video surveillance from a restaurant was obtained that showed the parking lot where the girl was approached and captured images of the assailant, said Dugan.
Following the release of the surveillance photos, police received multiple tips from the public about the man's possible identity. Detectives and officers followed up on the tips, which helped lead to his arrest.ย
