Bystanders Save 7-Year-Old From Portland Park Kidnap Attempt

A nude man was taken into custody in Portland, Oregon, over the weekend after police say he tried to abduct a 7-year-old girl from her mother at a popular waterfront park.

The incident began just before 7 p.m. Saturday, when Portland Police started receiving calls about a naked man moving erratically through Tom McCall Waterfront Park. One caller told authorities the man had also tried to strike them in the head.

According to police, officers were tied up on other emergency calls at the time and were not immediately available to respond.

Roughly 12 minutes later, police received another report alleging the same suspect had grabbed a young girl and attempted to pull her away from her mother.

Officers were then sent to the area, where they located the nude suspect swimming nearby in the Willamette River, authorities said.

The suspect was identified as 31-year-old Daniel Vasey. He was arrested and booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on allegations including attempted kidnapping in the first and second degree, custodial interference in the first degree, assault in the third degree and harassment.

Police said the 7-year-old girl was not seriously injured. She was checked by paramedics at the scene and treated for scratches, but she was not transported by ambulance to a hospital.

An investigation revealed that Vasey grabbed the girl’s arm and that her parents and bystanders stepped in to prevent him from taking her, police said.

The girl’s mother grabbed her other arm and tried to prevent Vasey from taking her daughter, and the struggle over the girl was so significant that she was lifted off the ground.

The child’s father and bystanders also jumped in and punched, slapped and pulled on the suspect, causing him to release the girl. One bystander used pepper spray on him in an effort to keep him away from people.

The young girl and her family told officers that they were tourists visiting Portland from out of state.