Johnson County Sheriffs Search For Suspects And Car Used In Kidnapping, Sexual Assault Of Deputy [Video]

The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office in Kansas is seeking the public’s help as they search for a vehicle believed to have been used in the kidnapping and sexual assault of one of their own deputies. On Sunday, the authorities released video of the car, and also stated that they are on the hunt for the two men who were involved in the two-hour-long kidnapping and sexual assault of the deputy before she was let go.

The vehicle depicted in the surveillance image released by the Sheriff’s office is described as a dark blue, newer model 4-door Mazda sedan or a car of similar make and model. The car was last seen on Friday at about 11:30 p.m. at a parking lot next door to the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office Adult Detention Center located in Olathe, which is southwest of Kansas City. That was the time that the alleged kidnapping of the deputy occurred.

JoCo off-duty deputy escapes after kidnapping in Olathe parking lot – https://t.co/awtQPt87P8 pic.twitter.com/KGzWTFUvms

— KSHB 41 News (@KSHB41) October 9, 2016

The deputy had been headed into work at Central Booking at 101 N. Kansas Avenue in downtown Olathe, but had not been in her uniform at the time. KMBC reported that the woman is in her 20s and had only been working with the sheriff’s office for six months when her kidnapping and sexual assault occurred. Using surveillance cameras to track their movements, it has been estimated that the kidnapping and sexual assault of the deputy had been random, and the men had followed her for more than a mile from the QuikTrip convenience store she had been at earlier.

The two men who attacked the deputy and forced her into the car were not known to her. In his press release about the assault on one of his deputies, Sheriff Frank Denning seemed deeply troubled.

“For me, as the sheriff, you feel responsible for your employees anyway, and for something like this to happen, that is very tragic to say the least. To have a young person, a young woman assaulted like that — it makes me angry. We’re going to find out who these two are.”

Some reports indicate that the deputy escaped her captors after two hours, but the Kansas City Star News says that investigators advised that the deputy had been released at about 1:30 a.m. near I-470 and Northeast Woods Chapel Road in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. From there, she made her way to the nearby Jackson County Sheriff’s headquarters and is now said to be doing “OK” after treated at a local hospital and released on Saturday.

The deputy met with the criminal investigators while in the hospital, but the Sheriff has stated that they have given her time to rest now. He also indicated that more than likely they would be talking to her again later this week. At this time no descriptions of the men who sexually assaulted the deputy are available, it is only known that they are possibly also in their 20s.

This is a better picture of the vehicle used in the kidnapping & assault of our Deputy last night. Help us find this vehicle! #JCSO pic.twitter.com/2rSk7A5J6c

— Johnson Co KS Sheriff (@JOCOSHERIFF) October 8, 2016

Sheriff Denning has also said that while the parking lot was lit, his office will be examining their current security system to identify areas where things can be improved to ensure something like this never occurs again.

“The parking lot is lit. The parking lot does have cameras. We are looking at some of the photos, some of the footage rather, that we got there and it could be better, so I will be looking at that come Monday morning to determine whether or not we need to upgrade there.”

In the hope that someone might recognize the Mazda vehicle used in the kidnapping and sexual assault of the deputy, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office has released the surveillance video of the car as it drove around the parking lot at the QuikTrip. The car has a license plate on the front and rear of the car, but the exact number is not known at this time.

The sheriff’s office is asking anyone with information on the car, including the license plate, to call the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office at 913-522-0231 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477. Assistance is also being sought to locate the two men who abducted the deputy. The investigation is ongoing.

[Featured Image by Johnson County Sheriff’s Office]