Bystanders Step In After Naked Man Allegedly Attempts to Kidnap Girl During Family Vacation in Portland
A family vacation in Portland, Oregon, turned into a frightening encounter Saturday evening when a naked man allegedly grabbed a 7-year-old girl and attempted to pull her away from her mother.
The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Daniel C. Vasey, was arrested after parents and bystanders intervened, with police saying the intervention caused him to release the child.
The incident began shortly before 7 p.m. local time when Portland police received multiple emergency calls reporting a naked man running through the waterfront area near Southwest Naito Parkway.
One caller reported that the man had attempted to punch someone in the head, but police said officers assigned to the Central Precinct were unavailable because they were handling other calls, including a reported disturbance involving a gun, according to Oregon Live.
Police said the situation escalated around 7:03 p.m. when another 911 caller reported that Vasey had grabbed a young girl and attempted to pull her away from her mother.
According to investigators, the child’s mother held onto her daughter as Vasey allegedly continued trying to pull her away, creating a struggle that lifted the girl off the ground.
The girl’s father and several bystanders then intervened, police said.
Witness accounts and police statements said the group punched, slapped, pulled on, and attempted to restrain Vasey until he released the child.
One bystander also used pepper spray or a similar irritant to keep the suspect away from others, according to authorities, according to KATU.
When officers eventually arrived, they did not immediately find Vasey on land.
Police said they located him in the nearby Willamette River, where he was reportedly wading or swimming while still naked.
Officers arrested him and booked him into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges including first-degree attempted kidnapping, second-degree attempted kidnapping, first-degree custodial interference, third-degree assault, and harassment.
Police said the child was not seriously injured but was treated by paramedics at the scene for scratches sustained during the struggle.
The girl and her family were visiting Portland from out of state, officials said, and authorities did not release additional information about the child or her family.
The incident has renewed questions about emergency response times after police confirmed that officers were unable to immediately respond to the earlier reports involving Vasey.
A nearby business employee who said he called 911 after seeing the suspect described concern that the situation escalated before officers could arrive, according to KOIN.
The case also comes after other recent incidents in Portland where bystanders have intervened while waiting for police response.
In April, a group of women confronted a man accused of repeatedly harassing women at Council Crest Park before he was later charged. Authorities have not indicated whether the two cases are connected.
Vasey remained in custody while awaiting his first court appearance.
A search of Multnomah County court records cited by local outlets did not show previous criminal convictions for Vasey. The investigation into the waterfront park incident remains ongoing.
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