A man accused of following a woman into her Brickell condo building and attempting to sexually batter her has been arrested, Miami Police officials said Friday.
Diontae Blackman, 23, was arrested late Thursday on charges of attempted sexual battery by threats, armed burglary with assault or battery, attempted aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and kidnapping, officials said.
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According to an arrest report, Blackman followed the woman into her building, the Brickell Flatiron on Southeast 1st Avenue, where surveillance footage showed him in an elevator with the victim around 7 p.m. Tuesday, pretending to be on his phone.
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As the woman was opening the door to her unit, Blackman pushed her inside and began to attack her, the report said.
"When she exits the elevator, he follows her, pushes his way into her apartment, demands that, at metal point because he has a metal pipe, 'if you don’t give me oral sex, I’m going to hit you,'" Miami Police spokesperson Kenia Fallat said.
The report said Blackman struck the woman several times and threatened to stab her in the neck if she didn't comply.
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Blackman got the woman into her bedroom and told her to take off her shirt, but when he tried to force her onto her bed, she resisted and a struggle ensued, the report said.
"She broke away, went into her bedroom, barricaded herself, opened the balcony door and started screaming, asking for help," Fallat said.
The suspect left the woman's apartment, and video showed him quickly getting off the elevator and back out onto the street.
Police said they received a tip from someone who recognized Blackman from the surveillance footage. Investigators questioned him and he confessed to the crime, officials said.
“We were able to remove a dangerous suspect from off of our streets, he won’t be able to hurt anyone else and that’s exactly what we were most concerned about," Miami Police spokesperson Kiara Delva said.
Blackman was booked into jail and was ordered held without bond during a Friday court hearing.
"I'm ready to get this over with, tell my side of the story," Blackman said during the appearance, where he was represented by a public defender.
Despite the public defender telling him not to discuss the case, Blackman continued to speak.
"I don't have a chance to explain my side of the story? What really happened? The victim basically lied, she lied on me," Blackman said.
"I did not attempt to sexually assault her or…" Blackman said, before he was cut off by the attorney.
Residents at the luxury building said there is enhanced security after the incident.
"There's a security guard by the elevator now, there's always been a door attendant, so it's not like a lax building," resident Amanda Fay said. "The person that did this must have been mentally ill. Took a big chance."
