Edward William Banks: Man arrested after footage shows him threatening teen with knife before sexual assault
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: A 27-year-old man, identified as Edward William Banks, was arrested for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 14-year-old victim in a public restroom. In the CCTV footage shared by the Los Angeles Police Department, the suspect can be seen walking with someone who looks like a school student while he has his hands around their neck.
The victim is said to be a 14-year-old who was assaulted as per the report received by the LAPD on October 11. According to the police, the suspect threatened the teen with a weapon and then took the victim to a public restroom where he continued his assault. After this, the suspect escaped and was caught by the police in the 2500 block of Mallory Street after receiving several tips about him.
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A video was shared on the official YouTube channel of the Los Angeles Police Department with the title 'Suspect Wanted for Kidnap Sexual Assault.' In the description, the police department wrote, "The Los Angeles Police Department’s Juvenile Division, Abused Child Section detectives are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the suspect responsible for Kidnap Sexual Assault."
On October 11, 2022, the Los Angeles Police Department received information about the sexual assault investigation at a park in the 4700 block Klamath Street. Preliminary investigation revealed that an unknown suspect had approached the 14-year-old victim.
Portions of this incident were captured on CCTV. The initial suspect description is of "a male Black, curly hair, a goatee, wearing a white shirt with green and red stripes, and dark jeans."
After further investigations and based on several tips from the public on October 11, the suspect was finally identified as Banks. He has been charged with the offense of kidnapping for committing sexual assault. The current bail amount of the suspect is set at $1 million.
Cases of such aggravated crimes have shown a significant hike across the nation including California. According to reports released by police agencies, LA witnessed a 21% hike in aggravated crimes while a 22% hike in robberies.