Aurora police announced late Wednesday that a girl seen on video during an apparent kidnapping was found safe.
According to a Wednesday evening tweet from Aurora police, investigators identified the girl and confirmed she is safe. The tweet also stated the girl, who is under 18, and the person on interest in the incident know each other. Police are still investigating the incident, which they said Wednesday involved a kidnapping and an assault.
Police began investigating after they received video that shows the girl being pulled by the arm into a vehicle with four men who were waiting in a shopping center parking lot, .UPDATE 7/26/23 at 9:20p: Investigators have positively identified the girl in question, who is safe. The girl and the person of interest are known to each other, and this remains an active investigation. We appreciate everyone who called in tips and assisted our detectives with…
— Aurora Police Dept (@AuroraPD)
NEWS RELEASE – The Aurora Police Departmentap Major Crime Homicide Unit is asking for the public’s help with information about a suspicious incident.
The incident occurred about 8:45 p.m. Friday, in the parking lot of the Cornerstar Shopping Center in the 15700 block of…
— Aurora Police Dept (@AuroraPD)
The video, which was taken about 8:45 p.m. Friday, shows four men arriving in the parking lot of the Cornerstar Shopping Center in the 15700 block of E. Briarwood Circle in a black Mercedes Benz sedan and waiting next to a silver Nissan SUV.
One of the men walks away from the group and approaches two females, the video shows.
He grabs one of the girls by the arm and pulls her to the Nissan, then pulls her to the Mercedes and places her in the backseat.
The other woman records video on her cellphone as the three other men enter the car and drive away, according to the video.
On Wednesday, Aurora police officials confirmed the incident was being investigated as a kidnapping and assault after new surveillance video showed one of the suspects slapping the woman in the face before pulling her over to the Nissan SUV. Police also obtained a separate video showing the woman arrived at the shopping center in the SUV.
Police also say a witness told them they overheard the woman asking an unknown person for help because the suspect was assaulting her.
Anyone with any information about the case is asked to call Det. Troy Raines at 303-739-6068.
Sign up to get crime news sent straight to your inbox each day.
