(WBRZ News 2) Two persons of interests are being questioned by LSU Police about an abduction on campus earlier this week.
The two men were taken into LSU Police custody at a home on General Adams Avenue around noon Friday. LSU Police have not released any information about the investigation at this time. WBRZ's Michael Vinsanau reports that a vehicle parked at the home matched the description of the abduction suspect's car described in a memo to law enforcement.
A source tells The Investigative Unit's Chris Nakamoto that a suspect drove to campus in the vehicle and parked near the victim's sorority house. The suspect then approached the victim armed and forced her into her car. He then drove away from the scene and forced her to perform a sex act. The victim was able to escape when she was brought to a store on Government Street.
Around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Baton Rouge Police were dispatched to the 1700 block of Government St. in reference to a reported rape and stolen vehicle. When investigators arrived, they learned about the location where the crime occurred and turned the case over to LSU Police.
The source says the suspect then drove back to recover his vehicle. It is unclear at this time if the victim's car was recovered.
DNA on the victim's clothes was sent to the Louisiana State Police crime lab to be processed. The victim was attacked during daylight hours just before dark, the source says.
A flyer was released to local law enforcement that showed a photo of a vehicle believed to belong to the suspect wanted in the abduction of an LSU student earlier this week. A spokesperson for LSU Police said the department did not feel the need to release the image to the media.
The flyer, obtained by the Investigative Unit, says that the suspect abducted an LSU student, forced her into his own car and drove off campus with her. The flyer says the suspect drove the pictured vehicle onto campus and parked it in the area.
The flyer notes that the vehicle has damage to the driver and passenger sides and a missing passenger side mirror.
LSU released the following statement Friday afternoon:
"We have identified a person and property of interest in relation to the investigation and more information will be forthcoming. This remains an active investigation."
Other than the initial emergency alert message, LSU's Office of Strategic Communications has not clarified publicly what happened. University spokesperson Ernie Ballard issued a statement Thursday saying "this incident" is being investigated.
"The safety of the LSU community is of the utmost importance to us. This incident is currently under investigation, and we can assure everyone that a thorough investigation is being conducted utilizing every resource available. These types of incidents are uncommon at LSU, and we do not tolerate these things occurring on our campus and to members of the LSU family."
The source tells Nakamoto that LSU did not want to release information because they did not want the suspect to flee the area.