Another suspect attempted to kidnap Phoenix girl, police say
Apr 24, 2019, 10:20 AM | Updated: 6:46 pm
PHOENIX — A suspect is accused of attempting to kidnap an 11-year-old girl in Phoenix this past weekend, the fifth incident of attempted kidnapping or luring in the area in about a month.
Sgt. Jamie Rothschild said the girl was riding her bike in the area of 19th Avenue and Union Hills Drive on Saturday when she saw a man in a black sweatshirt standing on the corner near a stop sign.
The girl heard someone run up behind her and felt someone grab and pull her arm. She fought back by kicking the suspect and was able to escape on her bike.
Officers searched the area but were not able to find anyone matching the description of the suspect. A description of the suspect was not released to the public.
Anyone with information was encouraged to contact Phoenix police at 602-534-2121 or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS.
Another suspect is accused of attempting to kidnap another 11-year-old girl in north Phoenix earlier this month.
Sgt. Tommy Thompson said the man approached the girl from behind while she was walking to school around 7:30 a.m. April 3.
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The man allegedly grabbed the girl’s right arm and pulled it behind her back and placed his other arm over her face.
A witness approached the suspect, knocked him down, pointed a handgun at him and told him to leave the girl alone, Thompson said.
The suspect was last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt while running westbound on Morningside Drive near 22nd Avenue.
He was described as a male with green eyes and a stud-style nose ring in his left nostril.
Three other men are accused of attempting to lure children from Westwood Elementary School in Phoenix since March 26.
A man reportedly attempted to lure a girl into his car as she walked to the school on April 16.
The day before, a man reportedly knocked on a family’s door and told them he was a teacher there to take their daughter to school.
On March 26, a man reportedly attempted to lure a Westwood student into his vehicle as the child walked home from school.
Rothschild said there is no information connecting the Saturday attempted kidnapping to any of the other incidents.
