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Police have released body camera footage in the search for two suspects on e-bikes who apparently tried to abduct a 4-year-old girl from a park in Manassas this weekend, but were thwarted by the “courageous actions” of the girl’s 6-year-old sister.
Officers were called to Dean Park at 9501 Dean Park Lane about 8:50 p.m. Sunday, where a mother reported two men approached her 4-year-old daughter and “attempted to lure her away with candy,” city police said in a news release.
The child’s 6-year-old sister witnessed the interaction and immediately began screaming for her mother, which caused both of the men to flee.
“The mother quickly gathered her children and moved toward the park entrance, where she received assistance from an off-duty Prince William County police officer,” the release said.
Responding officers found one person matching the suspect description, dressed in black and wearing a full face mask, but when officers tried to make contact, the person “fled on an electric bicycle via Winter’s Branch Trail,” the release said.
Police have now released camera footage of the suspect fleeing from an officer after releasing a still photo Monday.
The two suspects were present in the area of the soccer fields both before and after the reported incident, police said.
Both were described only as males. One wore all white and the other wore all black, including a black hoodie with a white logo and a full face mask.
Manassas police are asking members of the Wellington community to review camera footage and contact police with any video of the individuals going to or leaving the park.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Master Detective Speights at aspeights@manassasva.gov or 703-257-8041.
“The Manassas City Police Department would like to commend the courageous actions of the victim’s older sister, whose quick response helped protect her younger sibling and alert nearby adults to the situation,” the release said.
