The Oakland Police Department is turning to the public for assistance in a distressing case of kidnapping that occurred this past week. On Tuesday, an alarming event occurred on the 1800 block of 98th Avenue. According to the City of Oakland, an as-yet unidentified Black female, roughly between the ages of 20 and 22, was assaulted by a suspect who initially tried to hit her with a vehicle before forcibly abducting her.
The victim was walking in East Oakland in the afternoon when the suspect, who was driving a stolen vehicle, attempted to strike her. After failing to do so, the assailant exited the car, physically attacked the victim with several punches, and managed to pull her into the car quickly. The victim screamed that she was being kidnapped as she was compelled into the vehicle, which then was seen driving westbound. The vehicle has been recovered in East Oakland, but the search actively continues for both the victim and her assailant.
The Oakland Police have provided descriptions of the victim and the suspect in hopes that community members might recognize them and come forward with any potentially crucial information. The victim is described as standing about 5'5" tall, weighing around 140 pounds, and having black and blue dreadlocks or braids. She was last seen wearing a light-colored hoodie paired with light-colored jeans.
The suspect is a Black male, believed to be between 20 and 24 years old. He has a thin build and is also approximately 5'5" tall. His hair is short and twisted, and a distinctive scar or mark is on his left cheek. At the time of the incident, he wore a black hoodie with a white logo on the back, blue jeans, and white shoes. An image of the suspect has been circulated in connection with the investigation.
The Oakland Police Department encourages anyone with information about the incident to contact the Missing Persons Unit at (510) 238-3641 or call 911. A video of the kidnapping has been made available on YouTube and can be accessed via a warning-attached link for those willing to view potentially distressing material.
