Reports of Naked man scare neighbors

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — “It’s very scary to think that there is somebody that is out there that you don’t know what his intentions are,” says a concerned Heathwood resident. A naked man who police say is fondling himself in public has the Shandon and Heathwood neighborhoods on alert. Including one woman who does not want to be identified. “We don’t know what he is going to do, is he just stretching naked because he want to is he playing with himself is he going to rape somebody,” says the woman. According to incident reports obtained by ABC Columbia News, two women have reported seeing the man while jogging in the morning. Crandall Sims Reporting, “According to an incident report, one of the victims was running along this road, when the man allegedly stepped out from the shadow fondling himself…the victim then showed him her pepper spray, but police say the man continued to fondle himself.” Neighbors say they fear the man’s behavior will grow even bolder. “I’m afraid that he’s going to escalate and that someone is going to get hurt and I’m afraid that he’s doing this very close to parks,” says a concerned resident. “I’ve heard he’s been within two blocks of Heathwood park,” says a concerned resident. That’s two blocks within a place where children play. “He has the potential of hurting children, he has the potential of hurting adults,” says a concerned resident. One of the victims also told police the man followed her. The suspect is described as a white male, between 40 and 50 years old, around 5 feet 8 inches tall and possibly balding. Police say no one has been physically hurt so far, but neighbors say they want the man off the streets. “I would like to see him caught, not just scared off because he saw it on the news or the newspaper,” says a concerned resident. “He’s forcing people to change their exercise routines, he’s forcing people to either stop working out in the morning before they go to work. He’s forcing people to be scared,” says a concerned resident. If you have any information in the case, you are asked to call Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME SC.