Tallahassee police arrested a man in connection with a robbery of a business in the popular Market District in which an employee was sexually assaulted.
Henrick Sella, 31, was arrested on charges of sexual battery with physical force, attempted sexual battery with physical force, burglary with a person assaulted, robbery and kidnapping, according to court records. He was arrested Sept. 12, a day after the attack.
According to the arrest report, officers with the Tallahassee Police Department responded to the northeast Tallahassee business around 9 p.m. Sept. 11, in response to a panic alarm. The woman, who was “visibly crying,” told officers she was working alone when a man came into the store and asked about a product before sexually assaulting her.
Surveillance video inside the store showed the man attack her and drag her to the bathroom. He fled after taking items valued at $1,000 that were redacted from the arrest report.
“The victim is seen struggling to fight off the suspect and escape his grips which were unsuccessful,” the arrest report said.
Investigators traced the man to The Kearney Center, a shelter for homeless people on Municipal Way, where an employee identified him. He was later arrested walking along the road in a residential area on Ferns Glen Drive.
The Kearney Center issued a statement saying Sella was not an overnight client who utilized the facility for housing.
“Mr. Sella, like many individuals experiencing homelessness, receives his mail at the Kearney Center and occasionally utilizes day services such as showers and meals,” the center said.
The assault and robbery marked yet another violent attack in a public place in Tallahassee and came just a day after a random double-stabbing at Cascades Park that ended with the assailant jumping into a large stormwater pond and drowning.
The Market District Association issued a statement Sept. 12 acknowledging the crime, saying there was a “break-in” at one of the businesses and that “an assault occurred.”
“Such incidents are extremely rare for our area,” the group said. “We take this matter very seriously and want to assure our community that the Market District Association is working directly with TPD to review patrol schedules and explore additional safety measures.”
The Market District said that in the meantime, it encouraged everyone “to remain aware of their surroundings and enjoy our community safely.”
“Our district remains a safe and welcoming destination, and we will continue working with law enforcement and our members to ensure it stays that way,” the association said.
Sella initially refused to appear before a judge but finally made his first appearance Sept. 15 before Leon County Judge LaShawn Riggans. She ordered him held without bond at the Leon County Detention Facility.
Court records show Sella was arrested July 11 after trying to steal a can of baby formula from the Walmart on North Monroe Street.
Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@tallahassee.com or 850-599-2180.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee police arrest man after sexual assault, robbery at Market District business
Reporting by Jeff Burlew, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
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