Man tries to kidnap girl, 16, walking home from school on NW Side

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Police are warning residents in Chicago's Gladstone Park neighborhood of a man who tried to kidnap a 16-year-old girl as she was walking home from school.

A community alert said the teen was walking in the 5900-block of West Bryn Mawr Avenue around 3:15 p.m. Tuesday when a man got out of a newer, black pickup and tried to hug her.

When she rejected his advance, police said he pulled her by the shoulder. She pulled away and ran. The man got back into his truck and drove south on Milwaukee Avenue.

The suspect is described as a Caucasian man between 35 and 45 years old, who spoke with an accent - possibly European. He is between 5 ft. 7 in. and 5 ft. 10 in. tall.

He has a facial impairment, which the teen described as a large bump on the bridge of his nose. He was unshaven at the time of the attempted abduction and had acne on his jawline. He was wearing a green jacket, blue jeans and a brown knit cap.

Joe Love, a parent who lives in the area, said the attack has him rethinking whether he should let his children walk home from school alone.

"Anything can happen, I guess. Right now, they are walking home alone in a small group," Love said.

Brittany Brown, a high school senior, said she has never been concerned about walking the ten blocks to school. She plans to remain alert.

"It makes me sound more iffy about walking to school. But you just have to watch out. I'm usually on the phone with my boyfriend or I at least text him. But now that I know I'm going to call my mom and tell her where I am," Brown said.

Police urge residents to be aware of their surroundings and call 911 if they see anything suspicious.

Anyone with information regarding the attempted kidnapping should contact Area North detectives at (312) 744-8261.