WHITE OAK, Md. (DC News Now) — Police arrested a man with a machete Tuesday afternoon after investigators said he went up to two women while they were eating lunch in a park, demanded property, then sexually assaulted one of them.

Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) said officers went to the Northwest Branch Trail at Burnt Mills East Special Park in White Oak shortly before 3 p.m. after receiving a call about an active assault.

Maryland-National Capital Park Police (MNCPP), Maryland State Police and the Montgomery County Sherrif’s K9 unit also assisted.

MNCPP Public Information Officer Lt. Charles Smith said the two women were having lunch along the trail.

“They were approached by this individual who had a weapon, and (he) stated that, ‘I want your property.’ He took property from them and then he also demanded sex,” Smith said.

Smith said after the assault he ran away. The other woman wasn’t harmed.

“She was close by. I don’t think she actually viewed anything as far as the assault itself,” Smith said. “She was just a friend of the victim and was close by.”

Police caught up to the suspect about an hour later after getting a 911 call from a man in the 1100 block of Devere Drive in nearby Hillandale.

DC News Now talked to the daughter of the man who called 911. She said her dad was just coming home when the man asked him for a ride to Langley Park. When her dad refused and said he was going to call the police, the man pulled out a machete before running behind the house to the next block.

Neighbors saw him being arrested.

“He also was shirtless and had chest tats,” said neighbor Jonathan Alfaro.

Alfaro said the suspect’s demeanor was unsettling.

“When I was walking by he was in the car and he was smirking,” Alfaro said.

Park police want people to know they patrol the parks regularly.

“These parks are safe. This is an isolated incident and like I said we work very hard in collaboration with the Montgomery County Police to keep these areas safe. We want people to come out and enjoy our parks,” Smith said.

MCPD said that the man in custody was being charged with assault after he brandished a machete at a person in the neighborhood where police caught him. They also said they were working to try to connect him to the sexual assault.

Park police were working with officers from Montgomery County Department of Police which is handling the investigation into the alleged sexual assault.