Clark County deputies searching for attempted kidnapping suspect

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a man suspected of trying to kidnap a 14-year-old girl Monday morning as she walked to Heritage High School.

A 911 caller alerted the sheriff’s office just before 9:45 a.m., according to a news release.

The Heritage High School student told deputies she was headed to school and walking on Northeast 76th Street, near Northeast 122nd Avenue, between 8:10 and 8:20 a.m. when a man came out from behind some bushes and grabbed her from behind. While he held her, she said the man tried to place some kind of fabric over her face, the news release states.

The girl eventually broke free from the man and ran several blocks to the high school. Deputies said she appeared to be uninjured during the incident.

The suspect has light brown skin and is approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall with a slender build, black hair and brown eyes. He was wearing oval-shaped glasses, a black hooded sweatshirt, black cargo pants, a black T-shirt and a black COVID-style disposable mask, according to the agency.

The sheriff’s office is continuing to investigate and asks anyone in the area at the time of the incident who saw anyone matching the suspect’s description to contact Detective Lawrence Zapata at lawrence.zapata@clark.wa.gov.