Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department detectives are asking for the public’s assistance as they continue their investigation into a video posted to social media last week of a woman screaming for help.
In a crime bulletin released Monday night, law enforcement officials said they were looking for any information about the “light-colored, sprinter-type van” with “aftermarket solar panels and AC unit on roof” seen in the video. They are also looking for any information regarding the vehicle’s possible occupants.
Officials are saying they’re looking into the “suspicious circumstances” surrounding the content of the video filmed Thursday near the intersection of Calgrove Boulevard and Creekside Drive in Newhall.
Sgt. Keith Greene of the SCV Sheriff’s Station said that the video resulted in a 9-1-1 call Thursday night.
“We’re definitely treating this as an investigation, and we’re going to try to find out what happened,” said Greene the morning after the video was posted to Reddit by a since-deleted account.
The angle shown in the video is from a balcony above the van, and although the full picture of the scene is slightly obscured, a woman can be heard screaming “help” and “somebody help me.”
The witness holding the camera is yelling from the balcony, “They’re abducting her, call 9-1-1,” and calls for the person possibly attacking the woman to “stop.” The witness can be heard speaking to another unidentified person saying that they need to call 9-1-1.
“We’re treating it as ‘suspicious circumstances’ because who knows what it could be,” said Greene. “It could be a domestic (crime), but … we’re still investigating.”
Anyone with information about this incident can contact Detective David Nisenoff at 661-799-5805. If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call “Crime Stoppers” by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile APP on Google play or the Apple App Store or by using the website https://lacrimestoppers.org.
