BREAKING NEWS: Kidnapping suspect arrested
GREENVILLE, N.C. — Greenville police have arrested a Greenville teen with a criminal record and charged him in connection with the abduction Monday, April 25 of an ECU student in a parking lot at Third and Reade streets.
Kaimeek Keiron Brown, 17, of 107 Colonial Ave., faces charges of first degree kidnapping, first degree sex offense, robbery with a dangerous weapon, possession of stolen property and goods, felony probation violation and misdemeanor larceny.
Brown is suspected of forcing the victim into her car in the parking lot in early afternoon, then forcing her to make withdrawals from at least two ATM locations in Greenville before the victim escaped from the car on dead-end Country Club Drive, several miles from the ECU campus.
In a press conference Greenville Police Chief William Anderson repeatedly described the incident as “a random act of violence.”
GPD worked closely with ECU Police in investigating this incident. Anderson said ECU’s surveillance cameras in the parking lot where the incident occurred helped identify a suspect.
“We are very happy to have this individual off the streets,” he said.
“It was obviously an evil crime of violence and in addition a very courageous victim to come forward as she did,” said ECU Police Chief Scott Shelton.
Greenville police said officers took Brown into custody around 8 p.m. Monday, April 25 near Vance and Cherry streets. He was charged around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 26th.
Records show Brown was released from prison on Christmas Eve after serving a just over six months for felony breaking and entering. His record shows several other B&E convictions
The ECU Police will continue with stepped-up patrols in campus parking lots, Shelton said. In addition, ECU officers have increased efforts to heighten awareness on campus and keep the campus community informed of developments, he said.
Shelton said he could not find an instance in recent history where a crime of this type occurred under such circumstances on campus.
ECU has one of the lowest crime rates in the UNC system, said Bill Koch, vice chancellor for health, environment and public safety. Very few serious or violent crimes occur in the downtown parking lots on the campus edge where this incident began, he said.
An alert Pirate community is the best prevention and protection, he said. “When in doubt, report it and let police assess the situation,” he said.