FIU Warns Students About Near-Campus Abduction
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Florida International University is warning students about an alleged abduction near campus. Saturday night, students received an email as well as an alert on their phones urging them to read their email.
The email said a female student was abducted Friday morning, at about 11:30 a.m., from the bus stop at SW 107th Ave. and SW 17th St. near campus.
The student then contacted police after she was released near Dolphin Mall.
Students said they're concerned after hearing about the incident.
"I received the email from extremal relations and it was astonishing. It wasn't something I was expecting, especially during the middle of the day," said Virginia Dillon.
"It's pretty serious. It's definitely worrying," added Brian Dia.
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Han Zhang was also concerned. "It's kind of terrifying. I'm with my friends, so it's better but imagine it's a girl alone on campus, oh my God," he said.
Based on FIU's alert, the abductor is described as a Latin male in his mid-30s with black medium length hair, clean shaven and no visible tattoos. He was driving a white 1999 Jeep Cherokee.
There were no reports of injury to the student.
Due to the location of occurrence, the Miami-Dade Police Department is conducting the investigation.
The FIU Police Department is asking all students to be vigilant.
This incident comes just a few weeks after a Miami Dade College student was a abducted and robbed at gunpoint.
That attack happened at MDC's south campus on SW 104th St. on April 28th around 10:30 a.m.
The woman said she was in her car in garage L when a man with a gun got inside with her. The man, described as being around 5'4″ and 125 pounds with a full beard, abducted the 19-year old woman at gunpoint, forced her to drive to a bank and then directed her to withdraw money from an ATM.
After taking the woman's money, the man demanded that he be dropped off back at MDC's campus.
Based on the information from police and FIU, it does not appear this is the same person.
If have any information regarding either case you are urged to contact MDPD or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers.
MDPD
(305) 4-POLICE (765423)
Crime Stoppers
(305) 471-TIPS (8477)
For this with information solely pertaining to the FIU case, you can call the non-emergency line at (305) 348-2626 or the emergency line at (305) 348-5911.