13-year-old girl assaulted walking home from Brockton middle school, police say

A 13-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by a man in the driveway of a home on a residential street in Brockton Tuesday afternoon as she walked home from West Middle School, authorities said.

The girl was approached by a man in the driveway of 279 West Elm Street, Brockton police said in a statement Wednesday. She managed to escape from the man after a brief struggle and ran toward her house, the statement said.

Police are searching for their alleged attacker, described as a man in his 20s wearing a black shirt with multi-colored lettering and gray pants. The man was missing two front teeth and was riding a blue bicycle with white lettering, the statement said.

“We are working closely with the Brockton Police Department to support the student and family affected by this deeply concerning incident and will work with police to help identify a suspect,” Priya Tahiliani, interim superintendent of Brockton Public Schools, said in the police statement. “We have notified our school community and encourage students to remain vigilant and report anything concerning to a trusted adult.”

A school department official said the district had no further comment. The incident remains under investigation.

No further information was available Wednesday evening.

You can contact Kiera McDonald at [email protected].