Out of hospital, rape suspect questioned

Jose Carrasquillo, the 26-year-old ex-con who was severely beaten Tuesday by a Kensington mob that thought him responsible for the brutal rape of an 11-year-old neighborhood girl, has recovered from his injuries enough to be interviewed by detectives.

Carrasquillo was released today from Temple University Hospital and questioned at Special Victims Unit headquarters on East Lehigh Avenue about Monday's attack on the girl.

Although he has not been charged in the rape, police have said that they believe he was responsible and that they have evidence linking him to the crime scene, including sunglasses they said he had left behind.

Also today, Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey said his department would not pursue charges against those who had beaten Carrasquillo and held him for police.

Video surveillance shows Carrasquillo trying to run from people who saw him, Ramsey said, and the crowd acted to prevent him from getting away.

"We have people who saw an individual who committed a very brutal crime, and they grabbed him and held him for the police," he said. "You have to think about the emotion involved in this."

Carrasquillo was initially reported in critical condition, but the injuries were never life-threatening, Ramsey said today.

Police were looking into whether Carrasquillo may have been responsible for several other sexual assaults. "We are looking to see if he fits other reports," said Lt. Frank Vanore, a police spokesman.

The girl was attacked Monday morning shortly after she dropped off her sister at a day-care center and began walking along the 3300 block of Kensington Avenue. The girl told police that her attacker had said he had a gun and forced her to walk to the 2000 block of East Westmoreland Street, where he attacked her behind a house.

Police described the attack as "sadistic," and the girl required surgery at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. She went home Wednesday.

Carrasquillo, who has a long record of drug convictions, was identified Tuesday as "a person of interest" by police, who distributed his name and mug shot to residents in the Kensington area and the news media. The Fraternal Order of Police posted a $10,000 reward.

Several hours later, a group of Kensington residents recognized Carrasquillo from the photos, then pounced on him in fury.