TACOMA, Washington — The Tacoma Police Department is searching for a man accused of forcing a young girl into a car Sunday morning in what police described as an attempted kidnapping.

DPT saidThe attempted kidnapping/lure occurred around 11 a.m. Sunday around the 1700 block of Pacific Avenue, near the University of Washington campus in Tacoma.

The department said a young girl reported she was approached by a man and forced into a red four-door Toyota. The man allegedly followed the girl for several blocks before forcing her into the vehicle near the 1700 block of Pacific Avenue.

The man then drove west to the 3000 block of 6th Avenue, where he briefly left the vehicle to enter a store. Police said the girl was then able to run away from the scene and called 911 for help.

DPT said The suspect was described as a Hispanic man in his 50s, approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing between 150 and 160 pounds. Investigators said the man has been identified and they are working to find and speak with him.

Terrance Pennington is the assistant manager of Mary Mart, a cannabis store. Pennington said the suspect entered their store on Sunday. It appears the girl ran away while the man was in the stores.

“You could tell something was going on because he was looking around,” Pennington said. “She (the officer) said, ‘Hey, we’re investigating a kidnapping, and you have cameras out front, and we want to review the footage just so we can see the car and the man.’ They already had a description of the guy’s appearance. And when we put the footage out, boom, lo and behold, this guy is there.

The crime has made Pennington even more conscious now. “She’s lucky. She ran away. Many of these people are kidnapped and never seen again. It’s scary. This is the world we live in right now,” Pennington said.

Police have not yet released the suspect’s name, but told KOMO News they have spoken to him. No arrests have yet been made.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call TPD or 911.