Crime & Safety

Police: Attempted Abduction at Potomac Mills Parking Lot

Incident late Thursday has Prince William County Police seeking help in identifying the suspect.

Prince William County Police say a man tried to choke a woman and force her into the backseat of her car in a Potomac Mills parking lot late Thursday night.

The victim, a 34-year-old Lorton woman, was reportedly leaving work at 9:29 p.m., heading to her car in the parking lot near the corner of Potomac Mills Circle and Nazarene Way.

The woman told police that she was standing by her vehicle when a man approached her asking for directions.

"During the encounter, the man grabbed the victim and began to choke her, leading to a struggle," said police spokesman Officer Jonathan Perok. "Both the victim and the suspect fell to the ground, at which point, the man continued to strangle the victim."

He reportedly demanded the victim's car keys and tried to force her into the car, before fleeing on foot.

The man was described as Hispanic, between 20 and 25 years old, 5'5", 150 lbs., with a thin build and short black hair. He was wearing a dark colored hooded sweatshirt, dark colored pants and a black beanie style cap.


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