Philly Police quickly nab suspect in Center City indecent assaults

A 58-year-old homeless man was charged on Thursday in connection with four attacks on random women in the vicinity that all occurred on Tuesday.

Suspect Erich Cunningham was reportedly standing at the bottom of an escalator in the subway when he was nabbed on Jan. 30.

Two Philly cops on an afternoon patrol reportedly recognized him from the description of the suspect wanted for four alleged assaults in the Center City area that occurred the day before on Jan. 29, all near Suburban Station. After he presented a Pennsylvania ID card, police transported him to the Special Victims Unit.

According to police, Cunningham is believed to be behind four separate incidents of indecent assault within a span of a few hours, all in the Center City area within several blocks of Suburban Station.

It began around 6:45 a.m. on Jan. 29, when a 16-year-old female on the northbound platform of the Walnut/Locust Broad Street Line was approached by a male who ” grabbed her hand and attempted to make her touch him in an indecent manner,” the police report stated. “When the victim pulled away the suspect indecently grabbed the victim.” The victim then fled.

Just 15 minutes later at 7 a.m., a 30-year-old female at Suburban Station Concourse, reported an unknown male “brushed up to her, which she thought was invading her space,” a police report said.

One hour later at 8 a.m., a 15-year-old female at 16th and Vine Streets said an unknown male “indecently grabbed her” while she was standing at a food cart then walked away.

The fourth and final incident took place around 8:33 a.m., when the fourth victim, a 16-year-old female at Broad and Fairmount streets, reported that an unknown male indecently touched her and then fled.

All the victims described a physical appearance that matched Cunningham’s and police also obtained surveillance video of the suspect wearing clothing that allegedly matched what Cunningham was wearing when police encountered him.

Cunningham has been charged with unlawful contact with a child, indecent assault, simple assault, and harassment, police said.

Defense attorneys for Cunningham could not immediately be reached for comment.