A 14-year-old girl's harrowing escape from an attempted kidnapping in Glendale, Arizona has led to the arrest of a 28-year-old man with a history of violence and mental illness. Timothy Tan Guan is accused of stalking and trying to abduct the teenager as she walked home from Raymond S. Kellis High School on March 6, just after 1 p.m., authorities said. Glendale police praised the teen for her awareness and quick actions that ultimately led to her safety, and Guan's arrest, FOX 10 Phoenix reported.
According to the Arizona's Family, the incident was captured by surveillance footage which showed the suspect's vehicle stopping near 91st Avenue and Cardinals Way. Guan then exited the vehicle, which was reportedly driven by his mother, and followed the victim. The teenager, sensing the danger, ran to a nearby resident for help, eventually making it home, where police were notified. "She’s like, ‘Mom, somebody is chasing me,’" Valerie Fraijo, the girl's mother, recounted to the officers.
Guan was taken into custody the following day by Glendale Police and faces charges of attempted kidnapping, aggravated assault, and unlawful imprisonment. Court documents revealed Guan's extensive criminal past, which includes multiple assaults on minors. Officers indicated that Guan is considered dangerous and allegedly suffers from a mental illness that has led to previous attacks, particularly targeting young girls and attacking them from behind, according to FOX 10 Phoenix.
"It’s really scary. Us parents, we go to school we go to work and we trust our children to at the end of the day from school to walk home and make it safely home and I’m so grateful that my daughter did such a great job running from this individual," Fraijo told Arizona's Family. The Peoria Unified School District has since emphasized its "See Something, Hear Something, Say Something, Do Something" safety campaign, voicing relief that the student took proactive steps to ensure her safety. This incident is one of two attempted abductions in Glendale this year, with both suspects now arrested and in custody.
Guan is currently being held at the 4th Avenue Jail in Phoenix on a bond exceeding $52,000. His mother was also taken into custody and questioned, reportedly telling investigators that she had stopped the car to allow her son to "exercise". Meanwhile, the community stands rattled but focused on the well-being of the children, urging parents to have necessary conversations about safety and awareness in such dire times. Glendale Police continue to urge vigilance and caution among residents, especially the youth, as they navigate public spaces independently.
