VANCOUVER, Wash. — On Sunday, an unidentified man attempted to abduct a child at a park in Vancouver. KGW talked with a woman that lives near the park and said she first heard screams from a young child.
"She was screaming, 'I don't know you! Get away from me. Get away from me!'" said the woman, who asked not to be identified.
Police said the suspect attempted to abduct the 11-year-old child at Lieser Crest Park on Virginia Lane around 3:40 p.m.
"It's pretty uncommon for stranger-child abductions to happen," said Sgt. Julie Ballou, sergeant of the digital evidence cybercrime unit for Vancouver Police. "When incidents like this occur, it's very alarming. It's very unsettling, not only to law enforcement, but of course, to the family and to the victim, as well as to the rest of the community."
The man took off in an SUV described as possibly a newer, dark Jeep and headed north on Fredericksburg Way.
The woman then ran to the child to comfort them and tell them police were on their way.
"She was crying and shaking, and she was just so distraught from it," she said.
The suspect is described as a white male, about 5 feet, 8 inches tall and about 140 pounds. He is believed to be either in his 20s or 30s with short brown hair, possibly a short beard with face, hand and possibly stomach tattoos. He was wearing a black hoodie, black basketball shorts with red on the sides and dark shoes.
Officers have extensively canvassed the area of the attempted abduction with missing persons detectives also following up on the incident.
Anyone with any information, or that recognizes the suspect is asked to please contact Detective Nicholson at Jason.nicholson@cityofvancouver.us, or Detective Dewey at james.dewey@cityofvancouver.us.