Activists, Detroit PD search for man accused of raping six women

Police, neighbors, and community activists continue to cover the streets in northwest Detroit as they search for a serial rapist they say has attacked six women in less than two weeks.

Armed with passion and determination, they gathered Wednesday and announced a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the still unknown man. Sgt Marvin Jones said things are only getting worse.

"I feel like he's escalating," Jones said. "He has a weapon. Anyone that has a weapon is going to escalate, and it may get worse."

Rev. Malik Shabazz says rape and sexual assault is much more than a crime.

"When you rape a woman or you rape a child, it's like murder because you murder a piece of that woman or child," he said.

One of his first victim's, Joya Porties, spoke with FOX 2 last week. She said the man kidnapped her in front of her seven children March 24 and sexually assaulted her before Porties was able to jump from the moving car and run away. 

"I was tired of living my life as a victim and being afraid," Porties said. "I'm not a victim, I'm a survivor."

FOX 2's Erika Erickson joined the activists trying to find the man. 

That's when Janice Walker joined the effort to warn everyone living in the area. She said her friend's granddaughter believes the same man assaulted her March 29 and forced the 20-year-old woman into a gas station on Fenkell and Schaefer to buy condoms before raping her, and her friends.

"Somebody knows something and this person needs to come off the street because this is not fair," Walker said

Walking up and down Stoepel, San Juan, and Monica, just to name a few. 

One woman even posted on social media that she may have seen the suspect - described as having light complexion, 25 to 40 years old, about 5-feet-10 to 6-feet tall,  and weighing 275 pounds - in the Dearborn area. 

Police and neighbors are working together. They're fed up and asking other to join the fight for women and justice for the victims.

"This is not right," said activist Barry Ross. "Detroit deserves more. The people deserve more."