D.C. police are still searching for a man they say kidnapped his girlfriend at gunpoint in Northwest, and they're asking for the public's help to find him.
Marquez Parker, 44, forced his girlfriend, 30-year-old Selita Lee, into a car at gunpoint outside the AVA apartment building in the 2900 block of Van Ness Street NW on July 27, police said.
Police found Lee later that day and she was in good health. Sources familiar with the investigation told News4 that Lee broke free and called her relatives, who then called police.
Parker's whereabouts are still unknown nearly two weeks later.
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Investigators found the car that was used in the alleged kidnapping earlier in the day, Commander John Haines said at a news conference.
Police were initially called to the Van Ness neighborhood about 3:40 a.m. for reports of an armed person, police said in a release. Haines said officers initially had trouble finding the location.
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A witness told officers that a man first tried to put a woman into the trunk of a car, but then put her into the cab, Haines said.
Officers were looking for a gold Ford Fusion with D.C. tags and found that vehicle in the 3500 block of Ames Street NE.
Haines said police are aware of video circulating on social media that shows some of the incident. Parker may have streamed the incident live on Instagram, and the video has police very concerned, Haines said.
He added that police weren’t aware of a history of violence between the two. However, Parker is known to the Metropolitan Police Department.
Lee and Parker had recently moved into the AVA Van Ness building together, Haines said.
It’s the same building from which a gunman unleashed bullets onto the neighborhood below in a “sniper-style” shooting in April, injuring four people, including a 12-year-old girl.
