Overview
- Police arrested 27-year-old Rodrigo Melgar after executing a search warrant on Burbank Boulevard, with officers taking him into custody at about 10 a.m. on Monday.
- Investigators say the assault occurred on July 19 when a woman walking from a North Hollywood gym was grabbed, pulled to the ground and sexually assaulted before witnesses intervened to stop the attack.
- Detectives identified Melgar after releasing a community alert and surveillance images, saying tips from the public and media coverage produced leads that led to his identification on July 31.
- LAPD detectives say they believe Melgar targeted women near area gyms and frequently used local buses, and they are urging any additional victims or witnesses to contact North Hollywood Sex Detectives or Crime Stoppers.
- As part of the probe officers canvassed more than 50 businesses for footage and executed the search-warrant operation with Metropolitan Division personnel, and the case remains an active criminal investigation.