“Dear PoPville,
On Sunday 9/1 around 4pm I was walking my dog down Sherrill Drive, a quiet, paved road that connects 16th Street to Beach Drive in the northern park of Rock Creek Park near Brightwood/Takoma. A man with a personal e-scooter was sitting on the wooden guardrail on the edge of the road who I stopped to chat with. After 4-5 minutes of chatting, I looked back towards him and realized
he had exposed himself, was looking at me, and was masturbating. In shock and in a secluded area with no one around, I immediately walked away without looking back, and eventually notified a few cyclists about the incident who were near Beach Drive and heading in the direction of the incident. I walked to the police station in Rock Creek Park, notified the officers, and provided a witness statement. They went to patrol the area, provided me with information, and intend to patrol that area now more frequently. I want to thank the cyclists and the officers who were very supportive in this situation.
Unfortunately, I have seen this person since around the Parks at Walter Reed, chatting with women with dogs. The authorities were notified, but the person remains at-large. He is a black male in his 40s wearing glasses, a black hoodie, and loose athletic shorts and riding a personal, black, e-scooter. I’m sharing this information because if this person offends again, I hope others will report the incident, and together our accounts can prevent this person from causing trauma to others.”