Authorities say nearby residents helped save a woman who was being attacked.

At around 12:40 a.m. Sunday, a woman was walking near Main Street in Melita, located in the southwest corner of Manitoba near the United States and Saskatchewan border, when a man she did not know approached her. The man then pulled her to the ground and tried to sexually assault her.

Screaming and fighting, the woman alerted nearby residents who came to her aid. The suspect fled on foot.

Officers are asking the public for their help identifying the suspect after Police Dog Services and officers were not successful in their attempts to locate him. They say his whereabouts are unknown.

The suspect is Caucasian, approximately 25 to 30-years-old, and is 5’10 to 6’ tall. The man has dirty blond hair that was cut short.  He was  wearing glasses, a baseball cap, a white shirt, and cargo shorts at the time. Witnesses say the man was carrying a case of beer.

Those with information are being asked to call Melita RCMP at 204-522-3213 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.