Dale City girls appear to have been sexually assaulted on Halloween

Police say three teenaged Dale City girls returning from a night of trick-or-treating appear to have been forced into the woods and sexually assaulted by an unknown man.

The three girls were walking near Glendale Plaza on Dale Boulevard at about 9 p.m. when they were approached by a suspect with a gun, Prince William County police said Sunday. The man allegedly ordered the three girls to lie on the ground in a wooded area and then raped a 16-year-old and 17-year-old in the group, police said. The third girl, 16, was not assaulted, said Officer Erika Hernandez, a police spokeswoman.

Police said the two girls who were sexually assaulted were treated at an area hospital after the attack. Police have not released the identity of the victims or any additional details about the attack, and the Post generally does not identify victims of alleged sex assaults.

Detectives are working to locate the suspect, who they described as an adult male with a medium build, between 5-foot-6 and 5-foot-8, wearing a gray sweatshirt and dark sneakers. He left the area on foot, police said.

Prince William County police ask that anyone with information about the case call Crime Solvers at 703-670-3700 or 866-411-TIPS, where callers can leave information anonymously.