A stranger went after Bradenton teens in two similar incidents, cops say 

Two similar incidents in which an unknown man aggressively approached juveniles were reported in Bradenton on Wednesday, according to Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

The first incident occurred shortly before 2 p.m. at a park in the 8600 block of Haven Harbour Way in Bradenton, the sheriff’s office said. There, a man approached a 15-year-old boy who was playing and grabbed his arm. The boy was able to get away, at which time the suspect ran to a white sedan and drove away.

The second incident was reported around 3 p.m. in the 300 block of Suwanee Avenue in Bradenton. A man matching the description of the suspect in the earlier incident chased a 14-year-old boy up the driveway of a home. The boy got safely inside the home and alerted his mother, according to the sheriff’s office. The suspect got inside of a white vehicle and headed west on Suwanee Avenue.

The suspect is described as a man between the ages of 35 and 45 with brown hair, a thin build and measuring around 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall. He was wearing a white button-up polo or shirt at the time of the incidents.

Anyone with information about the incidents is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 941-747-3011.

This story was originally published March 25, 2020 at 8:11 PM.