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Detectives release 2 sketches related to eerily similar attempted kidnappings in Broward

Gunman targets teenage girls in Pompano Beach, Fort Lauderdale

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – Detectives suspect a man wielding a gun attempted to lure teenage girls to a four-door sedan, as they walked to school on Thursday morning, in two different areas of Broward County.

A 15-year-old girl reported a gunman threatened her as he tried to abduct her while she walked before 7 a.m., along Northwest 12 Court near Second Avenue, in Pompano Beach. A 17-year-old girl reported a gunman followed her and ordered her to get in his car shortly after 8:20 a.m., near Southwest Fifth Place and 16 Avenue, in Fort Lauderdale.

After the attempted kidnappings on Thursday morning, the Broward Sheriff’s Office and The Fort Lauderdale Police Department had two different sketch artists produce images of the suspect as described by the victim, and there were unquestionable similarities.

“FLPD is aware that the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) is investigating a similar incident that occurred on the same day as our incident. Detectives from both agencies have been in communication and, at this time, believe the two incidents may be related,” Detective Ali Adamson, a spokeswoman for the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, wrote in a statement.

The teens’ descriptions of the man’s car — which appears to be a Nissan with dark-tinted windows — also matched. Detectives released surveillance images of the sedan.

BSO and Fort Lauderdale detectives are asking anyone with information about this case or others to call Detective Erica Payne at 954-828-6487 or Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477 to remain anonymous.

Sketch FLPD released Saturday

. (FLPD)

About the Authors

Cody Weddle joined Local 10 News as a full-time reporter in South Florida in August of 2022. Before that, Cody worked regularly with Local 10 since January of 2017 as a foreign correspondent in Venezuela and Colombia.

Joseph Ojo joined Local 10 in April 2021. Born and raised in New York City, he previously worked in Buffalo, North Dakota, Fort Myers and Baltimore.

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