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Sunnyvale man arrested in connection with violent San Jose kidnapping

Sunnyvale man arrested in connection with violent San Jose kidnapping
Sunnyvale man arrested in connection with violent San Jose kidnapping 00:22

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.

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Zhanfang Xu San Jose Police Department

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.

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