Sketches released of Bellingham attempted abduction suspect
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Police have released a sketch of a man suspected in the attempted abductions of a teenage girl and young woman in separate incidents Friday in which their attacker sprayed them in the eyes with an unknown substance.
The incidents followed two other attempted abductions just days before near the Western Washington University campus in Bellingham.
In the first incident on Friday, a 13-year-old girl told police that she was waiting for a school bus in the 700 block of West Bakerview Road at about 8:20 a.m. when a man approached her and told her to go with him, said Mark Young of the Bellingham police.
The girl refused, and the suspect reportedly punched the girl in the face and then sprayed her in the eyes with an unknown substance. The victim ran home to report the assault to her parents, but the suspect did not follow her.
The girl was taken to the hospital after she spoke with police and was checked by medics at home. There were no apparent injuries at that time. Police searched the area where the assault took place, but no suspect was found.
The second incident occurred at about 7:10 p.m. Friday in the 4100 block of Aldrich Road. A 24-year-old woman told officers that she was walking alone on the sidewalk when a man came up from behind and grabbed her by the arm.
The suspect then sprayed the victim in the eyes with an unknown substance and demanded she go with him. The woman refused and yelled. The attacker was last seen running towards West Bakerview Road then out of sight, Young said.
The area was checked by a K-9 police dog, but no suspect was found. The victim was checked by medics.
In both cases, the victims described the attacker as a white man in his 20s with lighter-colored facial hair and wearing dark-rimmed glasses. He was described as standing between 5-feet-5-inches to 5-feet-7-inches, with a thin build. He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a dark jacket.
The two Friday attacks followed two earlier attacks on Feb. 22 and Feb. 28.
In the Feb. 22 attack, a female Western Washington University student reported that she was walking from Fairhaven College Commons toward a parking lot when a man approached her at about 6:30 p.m. and asked directions.
He then grabbed her arm and attempted to pull her into nearby woods. The woman broke free and the man fled. He was described as a college-aged white man, 6-feet-2 inches tall, with a slender build and wearing a baggy hoodie and jeans.
In the Feb. 28 attack, a female WWU student reported that she was walking near the intersection of North Garden and Beech streets near campus at 9:20 p.m. when a man came out of some bushes, approached her and grabbed her wrist.
She struck him in the face and he fled southbound on North Garden Street, away from campus and toward downtown. The suspect is described as a white male, about 5-feet-8-inches tall with an average build, in his early 20s, and wearing dark sweat pants and a long-sleeved gray shirt.
Police are asking anyone with information to contact Bellingham Police Detective Jana Bouzek at 360-778-8826 or send tips to the Bellingham Police Tip Line
The incidents followed two other attempted abductions just days before near the Western Washington University campus in Bellingham.
In the first incident on Friday, a 13-year-old girl told police that she was waiting for a school bus in the 700 block of West Bakerview Road at about 8:20 a.m. when a man approached her and told her to go with him, said Mark Young of the Bellingham police.
The girl refused, and the suspect reportedly punched the girl in the face and then sprayed her in the eyes with an unknown substance. The victim ran home to report the assault to her parents, but the suspect did not follow her.
The girl was taken to the hospital after she spoke with police and was checked by medics at home. There were no apparent injuries at that time. Police searched the area where the assault took place, but no suspect was found.
The second incident occurred at about 7:10 p.m. Friday in the 4100 block of Aldrich Road. A 24-year-old woman told officers that she was walking alone on the sidewalk when a man came up from behind and grabbed her by the arm.
The suspect then sprayed the victim in the eyes with an unknown substance and demanded she go with him. The woman refused and yelled. The attacker was last seen running towards West Bakerview Road then out of sight, Young said.
The area was checked by a K-9 police dog, but no suspect was found. The victim was checked by medics.
In both cases, the victims described the attacker as a white man in his 20s with lighter-colored facial hair and wearing dark-rimmed glasses. He was described as standing between 5-feet-5-inches to 5-feet-7-inches, with a thin build. He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a dark jacket.
The two Friday attacks followed two earlier attacks on Feb. 22 and Feb. 28.
In the Feb. 22 attack, a female Western Washington University student reported that she was walking from Fairhaven College Commons toward a parking lot when a man approached her at about 6:30 p.m. and asked directions.
He then grabbed her arm and attempted to pull her into nearby woods. The woman broke free and the man fled. He was described as a college-aged white man, 6-feet-2 inches tall, with a slender build and wearing a baggy hoodie and jeans.
In the Feb. 28 attack, a female WWU student reported that she was walking near the intersection of North Garden and Beech streets near campus at 9:20 p.m. when a man came out of some bushes, approached her and grabbed her wrist.
She struck him in the face and he fled southbound on North Garden Street, away from campus and toward downtown. The suspect is described as a white male, about 5-feet-8-inches tall with an average build, in his early 20s, and wearing dark sweat pants and a long-sleeved gray shirt.
Police are asking anyone with information to contact Bellingham Police Detective Jana Bouzek at 360-778-8826 or send tips to the Bellingham Police Tip Line
Now hopefully this person will try again and find him self staring down the barrel of a .45... problem solved!
Well, if it's the same guy for all four attacks, I fear for the next one. The first two he didn't attack with a weapon. The next two got attacked with something he believed would disable them. The next ones... he might find something more effective. I doubt he's been scared of permanently, although he's probably re-thinking his approach. Hopefully someone will ID him as someone they know and suspect (or don't want to suspect but...) before it gets any worse.Â
they are gonna find you, you little creep
Since his first two attempts occurred within close proximity to eachother < 1/4 mile and occurred at opposite times of the day (8:20am/7:10pm), I'd say he lives north of Bakerview Rd, east of I5, west of the Guide Meridean and South of Axton Rd. He's probably seen her waiting for the bus before on his way into town for work/school. He likely works during the day, or attends WWU. Hopefully he attends WWU since hundreds of people will see him each day and recognize those glasses. It is troubling that his height ranges from 5'5 to 6'2, but I'd guess he's small in stature. Friday's seem to be his day of choice. I'm actually becoming more sure he's a student, since he is willing to be late for whatever on Friday (8:20 am).
@fshwithnoeyes Since height is the one thing people mess up the most (because fear can make someone look huge), I'd be inclined to agree that he's probably relatively short. Although it's possible there is one accurate height and three inaccurate. I used to work in banks and we had robbery training (which entailed a film in which there is a mock holdup). After that excercise, I was amazed that the police EVER get a useable eye witness description. The only person who did the ID right on the film (and remember, we were warned we would be "held up" and to be sure to record an accurate description)... was the person who'd seen that particular film a few times before. The rest of us ... well, let's just say the cops who manage to figure out who to look for are talented....Â
@theprinterlady @fshwithnoeyes You are so right about the inaccuracies, and also people's memories can be strong even if completely inconsistent with the crime scene.Â
A police chief told me (this is just one example, of course; he had many great ones) that back when he was working traffic, one of the witnesses to a wreck told him, in complete sincerity,Â
"I saw the whole thing with my own eyes! I was getting my coffee, heard a huge metallic crash, turned around and looked out the window and there they were!" as he went on to describe in detail how the accident happened "right in front of him."
Eminem?
@Purple_Reign_ Wow Purple,that could be anybodys son..so non-discript,scary!
Drug deal gone bad! No wait, wrong story
Should be fairly identifiable. Find him and get him off the streets.
I hope they find this creep soon.... or at least let him attack an armed woman who will take care of the problem.