Police searching for NW Portland kidnapping suspect

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Police are searching for a suspect who attempted to kidnap a boy in the Pearl District on Tuesday, Dec. 14 — and who may have followed other parents in the area.

Police responded to the attempted kidnapping call at 3:18 p.m. on Dec. 14 after a 6-year-old boy and his father were walking near The Fields Park at 1099 N.W. Overton St., when the suspect tried to grab him. The father fought off the suspect, who then ran away.

The suspect was described as a Hispanic man between 20 to 30 years old, around 5-feet-1 to 5-feet-3 tall, and heavy-set with dark hair. At the time of the attempted kidnapping, the suspect was wearing a black hoodie, whitewash jeans, a grey beanie with a ball on top, and black and white shoes.

Officials said the suspect is a stranger and the incident appeared to be random.

Police are now looking to a report that someone matching his description was closely following a mom pushing her baby in a stroller a half hour before the attempted kidnapping.

Authorities are asking for anyone with surveillance video around the time of the incident in the area to reach out to them so they can hopefully get a clearer picture of the suspect. Police said the possibility the man could have been stalking other parents raises concern and adds urgency for them to find the suspect.

“Because we now have this guy potentially following a mom pushing a baby stroller, and then like 30 minutes later grabbing a 6-year-old boy, we think he may have been wandering the pearl district neighborhood, looking for a potential victim,” bureau spokesman Kevin Allen explained.

Police are trying to determine if that is the same suspect.

“If it is the same suspect and he was following another parent and baby it raises our concern level even higher, that he has some bad intent when it comes it kids, so it adds to the urgency here,” Allen said.

Police said while random kidnappings are rare, this is a warning for parents to be aware of the situations around them and to talk to their kids.

Authorities are asking for the public’s help identifying the suspect and are seeking additional witnesses or photos of the incident.

Information on the case can be sent to crimetips@portlandoregon.com and reference case number 21-348356.

Anonymous tips can be sent to Crime Stoppers of Oregon, which offers cash rewards up to $2,500 for information leading to the arrest in any unsolved felony crime.

KOIN 6 News is a news partner of the Portland Tribune.