The NYPD says a 43-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with a violent attempted robbery and rape in Brooklyn Heights. Leon Howell, 43, was taken into custody Thursday after allegedly attacking a 51-year-old woman in broad daylight on Tuesday. According to police sources, Howell posed as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent before shoving the woman into a stairwell, attempting to rape her, and fleeing with some of her belongings. Howell was seen leaving the NYPD’s Special Victims Division in handcuffs Thursday afternoon. Residents in Brooklyn Heights expressed shock over the attack.

“It’s insane, you know, for something like that to happen. It’s insane,” a Brooklyn resident told News 12. Howell faces multiple charges, including rape, assault and burglary. He is expected to appear in court for arraignment at a later date. The 51-year-old victim was taken to a nearby hospital and was treated for her injuries.