Petaluma teenager reports being assaulted by stranger

A 17-year-old male reported being attacked by a man in Petaluma on Friday afternoon, and police are stepping up patrols in the area while they seek a suspect.

According to a Petaluma Police Department news release, the 17-year-old called 911 at 1:25 p.m. saying a man he didn’t know had attacked him 45 minutes earlier while he was on a basketball court in the 100 block of Fairgrounds Drive.

The boy described his assailant as an older adult, with long gray or black hair, wearing a green flannel shirt, bluejeans and an orange San Francisco Giants hat, the news release said.

The teenager — who suffered a minor injury and did not need medical attention — said the suspect jumped a chain-link fence and slashed him with a piece of broken glass that was partially wrapped in duct tape, the news release said.

“We will be increasing patrols in the area in an effort to deter any further such activities and we are actively seeking the public’s assistance in locating any possible witnesses to the incident,“ the news release said.

People with information that could help identify a suspect or develop leads in the investigation can contact the Petaluma Police Department at 707-778-4372.

You can reach Staff Writer Jeremy Hay at 707-387-2960 or jeremy.hay@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter) @jeremyhay