Howard County police are searching for a man they say raped a woman he pulled into a vacant apartment in Columbia Wednesday.
At about 11:05 a.m., a resident of the Columbia Landing Apartments in the 8800 block of Tamar Drive called 911 to report that a woman had come to her door for help, saying she had been raped.
Police said the woman, who they described as being in her 30s, does not live in the apartment complex.
Police said the woman told them that a man she did not know approached her inside the apartment building and tried to start a conversation. She told police the man suddenly pulled her into a vacant apartment, where she said she was assaulted and raped.
She told police the man did not display a weapon.
Police said the woman told them that after the attack, the man walked into another room in the apartment, and that she ran from the unit to get help.
Police said they did not find evidence of forced entry into the vacant apartment.
The woman told police the man had short dreadlocks, a medium complexion, a medium build and was possibly in his 30s.
She said he was wearing black sweatpants and no shirt.
Anyone with information is urged to call police at 410-313-STOP. Police are offering a reward of up to $1,000.