Suspect wanted for allegedly attacking woman at Chandler park

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Chandler Police are searching for a man they said strangled a woman at a park until she lost consciousness.

What we know:

The assault happened at around 6:30 a.m. on Dec. 27 at a park, located near McClintock and Ray. According to police, a woman said she was grabbed from behind and assaulted by an unknown man before she lost consciousness. She was treated for her injuries at the scene.

The attack sparked a Chandler woman to put signs up in her neighborhood park.

The signs warn neighbors that she was attacked and choked by a man who is still on the loose. 

What they're saying:

"We just heard about them today, earlier today," said neighbor Arnold.

The signs warn of a choking attack at the park over the weekend, and urge everyone to be careful.

"It's something that we're definitely not going to tolerate in this neighborhood," Arnold said.

Local perspective:

Neighbors say it has always been a safe neighborhood.

"It's a good neighborhood," said Pete, another neighbor.

"The kids play here on a daily basis," Arnold said. "Ladies and gentlemen, everyone walks around here mornings, evenings. I mean, it's a beautiful, beautiful neighborhood."

What's next:

While they are shocked by what happened, neighbors plan to be on the lookout.

"A bad person tried to strangle someone," Pete said.

"I'm going to take it seriously," Arnold added.

Dig deeper:

Still, they are not going to let one act define the neighborhood.

"We keep coming to the park, so it didn't scare us, I guess," Pete said.

"We shouldn't have to worry about stuff," Arnold said. "So we want to go ahead and find out what's going on, who it is, and then everyone can go back to what they do."

What we don't know:

The identity of the suspect and their motive is unknown at this time. 

What's next:

Detectives are actively investigating this incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact police.

Map of the nearby incident location.