The same man is believed to be behind two armed kidnapping attempts on schoolgirls an hour apart, police say

Police are investigating whether the suspect who tried to kidnap a 15-year-old girl at gunpoint in Pompano Beach is the same man who tried to kidnap a 17-year-old girl in Fort Lauderdale about an hour later.

Both incidents happened Thursday morning as the teens walked to school, police said. Surveillance footage shows a gray four-door sedan at both locations.

Fort Lauderdale police are investigating an attempted armed kidnapping that occurred around 8:22 a.m. Thursday in the 1600 block of SW Fifth Place, Detective Ali Adamson said.

The victim was walking to school when the suspect called out to her to get her attention and then tried to lure her into his car at gunpoint, Adamson said.

The victim repeatedly told the suspect she had to go to school before he drove away and headed north onto Riverside Drive.

According to police, the suspect is between 20 and 25 years old.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office is investigating a similar incident that occurred the same day.

Detectives from both services suspect that the two incidents are related.

According to Sheriff’s Office detectives, another teen was approached by a similar suspect that same morning near Blanche Ely High School in Pompano Beach.

A surveillance camera shows the 15-year-old teen walking to school when a man in a gray sedan pulls up and orders her to get in the car. When she said no, he pulled out a gun. The girl ran away and the suspect sped away.

Both agencies continue to investigate all leads and possibilities as they try to determine if there is a connection between the two incidents, Adamson said.

Detectives are asking anyone with information about this incident to contact Detective Erica Payne at 954-828-6487. Information can be provided anonymously by contacting Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.

Susannah Bryan can be reached at [email protected]. Follow me on X @Susannah_Bryan