Police in Fresno, California say a man chased three local students on Friday. Surveillance cameras caught his behavior on tape. The suspect is identified as Joshua Lee Makini. He faces charges including assault with intent to commit a felony, and indecent exposure, according to The Fresno Bee.
Officers claimed the defendant ran up on a student from behind, grabbed her, and pulled her down. She escaped, and fled with her friends to an adult who was at a car. Mankini allegedly pounded on the vehicle windows, but he ended up going back to where he lived. Officers said that the defendant–a resident of a group home care facility–sneaked out naked after disabling the alarm on his bedroom window.
As seen on footage, a driver in a silver sedan stopped by the incident, and honked her horn.
Fresno Police say 27-year-old Joshua Mankini saw a teenage girl walking to school and snuck up behind her, then grabbed her and pulled her to the ground.https://t.co/maSIk4ukUD
— ABC30 Fresno (@ABC30) February 22, 2020
Local parents voiced shock.
“That’s your biggest fear as a parent right there,” neighbor Steve Alarcon told KFSN. “That’s your biggest fear. That’s scary.”
Another neighbor, Melvin Rivera, voiced concern about the defendant running through the park where “my kids play. It’s not good.”
Central High School sent out a statement to students suggesting they travel with friends, and stay at well-lit, populated areas.
Fresno jail records viewed by Law&Crime show that the 28-year-old defendant was locked up in lieu of $86,000 bail. It’s unclear if he has an attorney to represent him in this matter.
[Screengrab via KFSN]
