Woman grabbed off street, dragged into car in brazen daylight kidnapping in Oakland, California

Woman grabbed off street, dragged into car in brazen daylight kidnapping in Oakland

Authorities in Oakland are searching for an unidentified woman who was attacked and forcibly taken from a busy street in broad daylight on Tuesday afternoon. As of Thursday morning, her whereabouts and condition remain unknown, and the Oakland Police Department (OPD) is urging the public to provide any relevant information.

The incident occurred around 3:30 p.m. on the 1800 block of 98th Avenue. Surveillance footage captured a man attempting to strike the woman with a vehicle before exiting and physically assaulting her. The suspect then forcefully dragged the woman into the vehicle against her will while she cried out for help, according to police reports. The suspect then drove away westbound on 98th Avenue.

Authorities later recovered the suspect’s vehicle in East Oakland and determined it had been stolen.

OPD Captain Nicholas Calonge stated that investigators do not believe this was a random abduction but rather a personally motivated attack.

he suspect dragged the woman into his car as traffic rushed by.

"This does not appear to be a case of a random young woman being taken off the street. Investigators are considering all possible connections between the suspect and the victim," Calonge said.

During the attack, multiple vehicles passed by, but it remains unclear if any witnesses attempted to intervene.

The victim is described as a Black woman between 20 and 22 years old, approximately 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighing around 140 pounds. She has black and blue dreadlocks and was last seen wearing a light-colored hoodie and jeans.

The suspect is thought to be in his early 20s and had a unique scar or mark on his left cheek, cops said.

The suspect is described as a Black male between 20 and 24 years old, standing approximately 5 feet 5 inches tall with a thin build. He has short, twisted hair and a noticeable scar or mark on his left cheek. He was last seen wearing a black hoodie with a white logo on the back, blue jeans, and white shoes.

OPD investigators spent 48 hours gathering evidence and reviewing surveillance footage. After being unable to identify the victim or suspect, they decided to release the video publicly in hopes of obtaining leads.

"We are now seeking the community's help to identify one or both individuals involved," Calonge added.

The investigation remains ongoing, and anyone with information is urged to contact the Oakland Police Department immediately.