Police are searching for a man accused of cutting and sexually assaulting a woman in Hempstead Friday morning.

The incident happened around 4:30 a.m. near Jackson and Terrace avenues. Police say after talking to the 28-year-old victim, the suspect sliced her throat with a box cutter, dragged her into an alley and sexually assaulted her.

The suspect then ran off. The victim called 911 and was taken to a hospital in stable condition.

The suspect is described as a black man who is about 6-foot-1 with a slim build. He was last seen wearing a white hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans.

Nearby residents say they hope the suspect is caught soon because kids often walk around in this neighborhood.

"If you do know something, if you do know who this person is, you need to come forward," says resident Sandra Hubbard. "You don't have to give your name, you don't have to say who you are. Just tell them who this person is so we can get him off the street."

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS.