LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – A woman training for a marathon says she was attacked by a stranger while running on the Louisville Loop near Beckley Creek Park Sunday morning, and she’s now sharing her experience to warn others.
Jaden Barker said her run began like any other until she noticed a man wearing a black medical mask.
“That was a little odd to me,” she said, though she didn’t initially think much of it. “He was running, then walking, running, then walking. I thought he was interval training. No big deal.”
Still, Barker said something prompted her to take out her mace.
“Something in me told me I needed to get it out,” she recalled. “Intuition, whatever you want to call it. He didn’t even give me creepy vibes, but I felt like I needed it ready.”
As she continued along the trail, she sensed someone behind her. Moments later, she said the man attacked.
“He came from behind, grabbed my hips, threw me to the ground and tried to pull down my pants,” Barker said.
She suffered scratches on her legs but was able to fight back.
“Thankfully, my mace was already open,” she said. “I sprayed him in the face, and he ran off in the direction we had come from.”
Barker then ran to get help and contacted police.
She said she is physically okay, but the emotional impact remains.
“That shadow coming behind me is something I’ll never forget,” she said. “Living in fear is something I’ll have to deal with, but I don’t want anyone else to go through this.”
Barker is sharing her story to encourage others to stay aware of their surroundings and be prepared.
“If I didn’t have that mace, the outcome could have been very different,” she said. “It happened in broad daylight, in a place known for being safe. I want people to know they’re not alone if something like this happens, but also to be prepared.”
Louisville Metro Police said the case remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the anonymous tip line at 502-574-LMPD (5673) or submit tips through the online Crime Tips portal.
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