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Man breaks into Merritt Island apartment, chokes woman unconscious

MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. — Deputies in Brevard County are looking for a man they said broke into a Merritt Island apartment and choked the woman inside until she passed out.

The incident happened Monday morning at the Country Club Apartments, authorities said.

"As far as what I have from the investigators, there was no conversation," said Maj. Tod Goodyear of the Brevard County Sheriff's Office. "She opened the door. She was attacked, and she was choked unconscious."

The victim was able to give deputies a solid description, and they were able to release a sketch of the attacker.

Other residents of the apartment were shocked to learn about what happened Monday.

"Our children are playing outside and there's a guy running around, and it's my upstairs neighbor," said resident Irene Santana. "Her kids play with my kids, so it's not a good situation."

Santana said she hasn't seen her neighbor since the attack but she's keeping a lookout for the man in the composite sketch.

When the victim came to, the suspect was gone. Nothing was taken from her apartment and there was no sexual assault, she told investigators.

"From the investigation it does not appear that it was a sexual incident, but of course that's one of the things we're looking at," said Goodyear.

Anyone with information is asked to contact authorities.