Camera system used during RNC helped catch suspect in violent attack in parking garage

TAMPA - The new surveillance system installed in Tampa for the Republican National Convention helped police catch a suspect in a violent attack on Thursday.

Police say the cameras caught Glen Mayfield moments after he attacked a 63-year-old woman inside a parking garage.

They say Mayfield was hiding out in the garage when he saw the woman head for the elevator. That's when investigators say he dragged her into a stairwell and then punched and molested her.

"He threatened her life, he threatened that he was armed with a knife and through out the entire incident the victim was screaming," said Laura McElroy with Tampa Police.

Her screams may have scared the man off, but the newly installed cameras traced his exit.

One camera angle downtown shows the suspect rip off his shirt and throw it away.

The new technology not only let officers know who to look for but also allowed them to alert nearby residents and businesses.

"Tonight, as a matter of fact, two of the attorneys that I worked with, we all walked out together because we wanted to be safe," said Diane Scott, who was walking to her car.

By 5:00, the search ended -- just a few feet away from TPD headquarters.

Officers on foot found Mayfield sitting on a park bench right across the street from the police station.

"It was fortunate that we had that system in place and that we could warn the residents and the people working downtown," said McElroy.

Mayfield has an extensive and violent criminal history.  He also has a warrant for his arrest out of Delaware for failing to register as a sex offender.