SAN ANTONIO – What was supposed to be a fun, relaxing day at McAllister Park took a disturbing turn for Marissa Rijos and her partner.
Rijos regularly records dance videos and on Wed., January 17th, her video captured way more than she wanted to see.
“To the ground, like his pants were to the ground. I feel like that’s just next level,” said Marissa Rijos.
The man appeared to be touching himself inappropriately just a few benches behind Rijos. She said she thought he might have been looking at her when they first got there but figured she was just being paranoid.
When she saw what her video captured, her fears were confirmed.
“At that moment I was like how close is he to me, is he like about to grab me? Is he about to touch my partner?” said Rijos.
The video shows the man pulling up his pants and then leaving. She contacted San Antonio police and gave a description that same day, but officers couldn’t find him.
“To be that comfortable, like what else are you doing and how often? And, you’re still out there doing it,” said Rijos.
Rijos took to social media to warn others about what happened to her. As the video gained popularity, what she saw in the comments was also concerning.
“Maybe 350 or 400 comments and about at least… I don’t want to say too high of a number but at least 15 to 20 were like McAllister Park is known for this,” said Rijos.
She tells us it’s a wake-up call that not everyone is a good person. Rijos said she feels uneasy at times, always looking over her shoulder. Now, she doesn’t leave the house without a way to defend herself.
“It’s got a little dagger on this side and a pepper spray right over here. I’m like, try me. I am protected now. You will not catch me off guard again,” said Rijos.
San Antonio police tell us they patrol McAllister Park several times a day, even conducting covert operations at times to catch lewd acts or acts of indecent exposure. They ask anyone who sees something to say something.
As for Rijos, she has a message for others.
“Be aware of your surroundings. Be prepared to take action. Be fearless in protecting yourself. Don’t disregard your intuition,” said Rijos.
