Los Angeles and Cal State Northridge police officials are looking for a man who allegedly tried to kidnap a student near campus on Tuesday and threatened to kill her if she kept screaming.
The incident was reported about 3:40 p.m. near the intersection of Darby Avenue and Dearborn Street, the Department of Police Services on campus reported.
The man approached the victim and grabbed her from behind in a bear hug. While the student tried to get away, the man told her that if she continued to scream he would kill her, police said.
The student was finally able to free herself after kicking and punching the would-be kidnapper.
The student was not injured.
“We got the email and we were scared,” said Leslie Failano a CSUN student who lives near where the attack occurred and was notified by school officials about the attack.
“We were texting our roommates to make sure who’s here.”
The suspect is described as being between 25 and 30 years old, 6 feet 5 inches tall with dark hair. He was seen wearing a black shirt with an unknown red logo and blue jeans, officials said. Campus police believe he may have a named tattooed on his right arm.
Officials released a composite sketch of the man, who was apparently seen at the Oviatt Library on campus Monday.
Anyone with information about the incident or the suspect can call CSUN Police dispatch at 818-677-2111.
The attempted kidnapping is the latest police incident on or near campus in the last two weeks.
Two people were shot at an apartment complex across the street from the university Sunday, and last Friday a former student damaged school property with a sledgehammer.
“You think you would come to school to just study, do homework and get a degree, but you see all these things happening on campus and off campus. … it’s pretty scary,” said student Alexis Losoyo.
