Miami-Dade police

Police Arrest Suspect in Kidnapping Near Florida International University

Police have arrested a suspect involved in a kidnapping near Florida International University's south campus, officials said Monday.

The suspect, 42-year-old Carlos Jose Arana, was located, questioned at placed under arrest at the Midwest District, Miami-Dade Police said. He has been charged with armed kidnapping and is being held without bond, police said.

A female student said she had been abducted from a bus stop at SW 107th Avenue and 17th Street around 11:30 a.m. Friday morning. The student contacted police after she was released near the Dolphin Mall.

FIU students received an email Saturday evening from campus police, which described the abductor as a man in his mid-30s, clean shaven, with medium-length black hair. Police said the man was driving a white 1999 Jeep Cherokee.

The kidnapping was on the minds of students and staff on the FIU campus Monday night.

NBC 6's Marissa Bagg caught up with students walking in two's and three's to be safe.

"Hearing about this now is strange, I always thought America was safer than Brazil, but I'm happy they caught him," said Carolina Ribeiro.

"It's really got me worried about it, we need to be careful," added Diego Silva.

Detectives say Arana used a knife to scare the victim into his Jeep.

Arana was booked into jail Monday. He's accused of fondling the victim in the car and then dropping her off at the Dolphin Mall where she works.

The Jeep sits outside his home. One of his neighbors was stunned to hear of Arana's arrest, saying he has a wife and two kids and they were a perfect family, and very good neighbors.

Police were able to catch up with Arana based on the license tag number the victim gave them.

Records show Arana was arrested for sexual battery and kidnapping back in 1995, but no action was ever taken.

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