Bellingham police release sketches of man in attempted abductions

BELLINGHAM, Wash. —  Bellingham police have released sketches of a man who attempted to abduct two people on Friday.

The first attempted abduction happened in the 700 block of West Bakerview Road before 8:30 a.m. when a 13-year-old girl was approached by a man who told her to go with him. When she refused, the man punched her in the face and sprayed her with an unknown substance.

The victim ran home and reported the attack to her parents and police.

The second incident happened after 7 p.m. in the 4100 block of Aldrich Road when a 24-year-old woman was walking alone on a sidewalk when a man approached her and grabbed her arm. The man sprayed her in the eyes with an unknown substance and demanded her to go with him.

The attacker ran away after the woman refused to and yelled.

Both victims described the attacker as a white man, in his 20s, 5 feet 5 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a thin build, with lighter-colored facial hair, wearing medium to dark-framed oval-shaped glasses, blue jeans, a black hooded sweatshirt and black shoes.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Bellingham police detective Jana Bouzek at 360-778-8826.

KIRO