Police are asking a Good Samaritan who helped a 23-year-old jogger attacked by a stun gun in a kidnapping attempt to come forward and help with the investigation.
San Diego Police (SDPD) said the jogger was jogging near Cargill Avenue and Nobel Drive in University City Wednesday, just blocks from the Westfield UTC Mall, when a man got out of a car with a Lyft sticker and approached her, SDPD Capt. Mark Hanten said. Police would not reveal whether the suspect is a Lyft driver or not.
The man, identified as 21-year-old Rahimi Baba Sheikhali Shayan, assaulted the victim and used a stun gun on her, leaving her with burn marks, Hanten said.
The victim fought back, Hanten said, kicking and screaming before she managed to escape.
It was then that the Good Samaritan stepped in.
"Our victim ran out into the street and was trying to flag somebody down and the good Samaritan saw this, and recognized her as being distraught, stopped for her, allowed her to get in the car and drove away," said SDPD Capt. Mark Hanten.
The Good Samaritan helped the victim call police. She later left the scene.
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Hanten credited the victim's courageousness in the face of trauma with helping police nab the suspect so quickly. The victim helped give police accurate information that helped them find the suspect's car.
The jogger told police the man was driving a black four door Sedan with a Lyft sticker in the front window.
Police found the car near the scene and shortly after found the suspect. As far as Hanten knows, he said, the suspect only has a traffic citation on his record.
As the investigation continues, officers are asking people who may have witnessed the assault or who may know anything about the assault to give them a call. They're particularly asking for the Good Samaritan to come forward.
"It would be great to have her come forward and possibly add something," police said.
