AURORA, Colo. – A suspicious incident in which a woman was apparently taken from the parking lot of a shopping center Friday night is now being investigated as an assault and a kidnapping by the Aurora Police Department.
At around 8:45 p.m. Friday, police said four men who arrived in a black Mercedes Benz sedan were waiting in the parking lot of the Cornerstar Shopping Center in the 15700 block of E. Briarwoood Circle next to a Nissan SUV when of the men walks off and approaches two women.
Initial surveillance video obtained by police showed the man grabbing one of the women by the arm and pulling her to the Nissan. Moments later, the man pulls the woman over to the Mercedes and places her in the backseat.
But new surveillance video obtained by investigators shows one of the suspects slapping the victim in the face before pulling her over to the Nissan SUV and placing her into the backseat of the Mercedes Benz, according to a Wednesday news release from Aurora police.
Information obtained from a witness stated that they had overheard “the victim asking an unknown person for help because the suspect had been assaulting her,” the release states.
On Wednesday, the Aurora Police Department released photos of the two women involved in the suspicious incident, as well as a photo of a fourth man believed to be involved.
“We’ve also obtained video showing the victim arrived at Cornerstar Shopping Center in the Nissan SUV. The driver, who’s photo we first shared earlier today, is associated with the victim, but not involved in the crime,” said APD spokesman Joe Moylan.
Police have not identified anyone involved in the kidnapping and assault.
Although there are no missing persons reports and no other reports of criminal activity in the area, detectives are asking for help from the public out of an abundance of caution for the female’s safety,” Moylan wrote.
Investigators are asking anyone who may have information about this incident, the men, the two women or the vehicles, to contact Detective Troy Raines at (303) 739-6068.
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