Sunnyvale man arrested in connection with violent San Jose kidnapping
SAN JOSE -- A 43-year-old suspect has been arrested in the violent kidnapping and attempted robbery of a female associate as she walked near John Mise Park in West San Jose.
San Jose police said Zhanfang Xu of Sunnyvale has been booked into Santa Clara County jail on counts that included kidnapping, attempted robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.
Investigators said the attack took place at approximately 9:00 p.m. on January 10th. The suspect -- identified as Xu -- approached the adult female victim from behind, held a knife to her neck and forced the victim to walk to a nearby sidewalk and sit down.
The suspect was attempting to cover her mouth with packing tape and remove her purse when she fought back and ran away.
Neighbors from the area observed the incident and came to the victim's aid. The suspect fled and officers were unable to locate him.
During the preliminary investigation, officers collected evidence from the scene that ultimately led to the identification of Xu as the suspect. He was a known associate of the victim.
Detectives obtained an arrest warrant and a search warrant for Xu's home.
On January 31st, Xu was arrested in Sunnyvale. The motive and circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Detective Yee #4342 of the San José Police Department's Robbery Unit via email: 4342@sanjoseca.gov or at 408-277-4166.