‘Get away from me!’: Woman stops would-be Vancouver kidnapper
VANCOUVER, Wash. (KOIN) — A woman who heard an 11-year-old girl screaming scared off a would-be kidnapper Sunday afternoon at a Vancouver neighborhood park.
The incident at Lieser Crest Park happened around 3:40 p.m., police said, and released surveillance video of the moments immediately before and after the attempted abduction.
Vancouver PD Facebook page – Surveillance Video of Suspect
In that video, a man is seen getting out of a parked SUV, possibly a Jeep, and walks into the park. He is then seen running back to the SUV and driving away quickly, headed north on Fredericksburg Way.
The neighbor — who asked KOIN 6 News to remain anonymous — said she could hear the girl screaming for help. She ran over to the girl as she dialed 911.
“She was just screaming, ‘Get away from me! I don’t know you! Get away from me!'” the woman told KOIN 6 News. “And she kept getting louder, louder and was backing away from this person.”
The woman began running toward the screaming girl.
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“The man had started running away from the girl as she just continued to scream and she went off into the field and he went, ran towards the play structure, hopped over a fence, ran around the back of his car, got in the front seat in the driver’s side and sped off,” she said.
Surveillance video shows an attempted kidnapping suspect leaving a dark SUV moments before the attempt at Lieser Crest Park in Vancouver, August 18, 2024 (VPD) Surveillance video shows an attempted kidnapping suspect running back to a dark SUV moments after the attempt at Lieser Crest Park in Vancouver, August 18, 2024 (VPD) This dark SUV (possibly a Jeep) is the car an attempted kidnapping suspect used to flee Vancouver, August 18, 2024 (VPD) Surveillance video shows an attempted kidnapping suspect running back to a dark SUV moments after the attempt at Lieser Crest Park in Vancouver, August 18, 2024 (VPD)
The suspect — who authorities said is not known by the child — is a white man in his 20s or 30s with short brown hair and a short beard. He was wearing a black hoodie, black basketball shorts with red on the sides and dark shoes. Officials said he is about 5-feet-8 and 140 pounds with tattoos on his face and hand — and possibly a tattoo on his stomach.
An immediate search for the suspect began. Vancouver detectives are actively working this case.
Anyone with information should call the Vancouver Police Department.
KOIN 6 News will continue to follow this story.
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