Video: Oakland police say woman kidnapped, punched

OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland police released a short video on Thursday saying a woman had been kidnapped and punched two days earlier, and they needed help finding the man who took her. 

Identity of kidnapper not known

What we know:

Police said the woman was walking in the 1800 block of 98th Avenue on Tuesday at about 3:30 p.m. when an unknown suspect tried to hit her with a stolen Honda Accord. 

A man got out of the car and punched her multiple times, causing severe injuries, police said.

The man then grabbed her and put her in the car against her will while she was yelling that she was being kidnapped.

"A violent assault upon the victim, followed by a forcible kidnapping," said acting Oakland police Capt. Nicholas Calonge. "Based on the evidence we recovered, she was very much in danger at the time of the abduction and was the victim of a serious assault. At this time, we don't know where she might be, who she is."

The video that police provided is 25 seconds long and taken from across the street by an unknown person, who seems to be with another person as well. 

KTVU has learned witnesses told police the man described the woman he kidnapped as his baby's mother.

Car found

What they're saying:

The Honda was later found by police near Seminary Avenue and East 16th Street in East Oakland. Oakland police and a CHP helicopter scoured the area for any signs of either the man or the woman, but came up empty.

The video does not show the car hitting the woman or the man punching her.

Neither the suspect nor the woman has since been located.

If domestic violence is a factor in this case, advocates say there is help available.

"Try and find forgiveness for yourself, or to your old self, who didn't speak up sooner. It's never late to speak out," said Jovana Radokanovic, a counselor at A Safe Place, a domestic violence program in oakland.

She says there are shelters and organizations who help domestic violence and abuse survivors. 

"That's where you hear you're not alone. You see other people who have experienced something similar," Radokanovic said.

What you can do:

Police described the woman as Black, about 20 to 22 years old.  She is approximately 5’5" tall and weighs around 140 pounds. She has black and blue dreadlocks or braids and was last seen wearing a light-colored hoodie and light-colored jeans.

Police described the suspect as a Black man between 20 and 24 years old. He stands approximately 5’5" tall and has a thin build. He has short twisted hair and a scar or mark on his left cheek. He was last seen wearing a black hoodie with a white logo on the back, blue jeans, and white shoes.

If anyone has information, they should call the Oakland Police Department’s Missing Persons Unit at (510) 238-3641 or dial 911.

Henry Lee is a KTVU crime reporter. E-mail Henry at Henry.Lee@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan

Oakland police say this is a kidnap suspect from March 4, 2025.