San Diego grandma fights off would-be abductor

SAN DIEGO — San Diego police were searching on Friday for a man suspected of trying to abduct a woman and her 3-year-old grandson in a Walmart parking lot, but who was thwarted when the grandmother fought back and scared the would-be kidnapper away.

The abduction attempt took place as the woman, whom police did not identify, had finished shopping on Wednesday and had loaded her purchases into her minivan, a police spokesman said.

She had just strapped her grandson into his car seat when the would-be abductor came up behind her, put his arm around her neck and his hand over her mouth and tried to drag her, Officer Mark Herring said.

The woman screamed and fought, and the man quickly fled.

In the immediate aftermath of the attack, police and a sheriff’s department helicopter searched the shopping center, the neighborhood and a nearby canyon for hours, but did not find the suspect.

The grandmother had scratches and bruises, but did not suffer serious injuries, Herring said. She and other witnesses were able to give police a good description of the attacker.

“We have no new leads but we are continuing to search for the suspect in the attempted kidnapping,” Herring said.