"We don't need that around here:" Two female mail carriers, attacked while on the job



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Attacked while on the job: A female postal carrier had to fight off a masked man in Milwaukee on Monday, August 25th -- and it's not the only incident being investigated.

Monday's attack happened on the city's north side. This, following a similar attack on August 11th.

"We don't need that around here. We don't," Deshun Belser said.

Belser lives in the neighborhood where Monday's attack happened -- a neighborhood where children play.

The mail carrier, out on her route, was attacked from behind.

Belser says he gave police a description of a suspicious man he saw wandering the neighborhood earlier Monday morning.

"He had his hood over his head so nobody could see him and he had on all gray, so he was walking with his head down," Belser said.

The postal carrier says the attack happened near West Courtland and North 77th Street. She says she wasn't able to get a good look at the attacker because the person was wearing a hood, a mask and black gloves.

"Came up behind her, grabbed her. She screamed and at that point, he ran off," Postal Inspector Brian Haraway said.

Haraway says this kind of attack is rare, but he says his department is investigating a similar assault from August 11th.

"Female carrier out on the job and it happened around 78th and Villard," Haraway said.

In both cases, neither carrier was physically injured, but both mail carriers and neighbors are encouraged to be on the lookout for suspicious activity.

"We just ask that they keep their eyes open and if they see anything, please report it because we are doing our best to keep our carriers safe so everyone's mail can be delivered promptly and safely," Haraway said.

"It's kind of scary because now you've got to watch 10 times harder, what's going on in the neighborhood," Belser said.

Postal inspectors are working closely with Milwaukee police.

As of Tuesday afternoon, no arrests had been made.

If you have any information about either attack, you're asked to contact Milwaukee police.