Full Notification

UPDATE:      On Friday, October 21 at approximately 9:40 PM, Petaluma PD officers located the suspect in this case near East Washington and South McDowell.   The parent of the victim had seen the suspect in the area and notified PPD. The victim positively identified the suspect.  The suspect, Lionel Gonzales, a 42-year-old, Petaluma transient, was arrested for Child Annoyance and transported to County Jail.  Suspect Gonzales was found riding the small red bicycle the witness had seen him riding yesterday.   There had been several other calls during the day today with possible sightings of the suspect.  The Petaluma Police Department appreciates the witness for contacting us and the other community members for reporting the possible sightings.  
 
On 10/20/2022 at approximately 7:00 PM, PPD Dispatch received call from a resident reporting a suspicious person had tried to coax her child into leaving with him around 5:15 PM at McDowell Park in Petaluma.
 
The parent reported her young child had been playing at the park when a male subject approached her child and repeatedly attempted to talk him into riding his bicycle and leave with him. The parents ran over to the child and yelled at the unknown subject to leave and to stop talking to the child. The subject continued to try and convince the child to leave with him, but after the parent continued to try and get the subject to leave, he left the area on his bicycle in an unknown direction.
 
The subject was described as a Hispanic male in his late forties, had a thin build and was bald. He was last seen wearing a grey shirt, blue shorts and was riding a small red bicycle. No one on scene was familiar with the subject.
 
The Petaluma Police Department is seeking the publics assistance in identifying the male subject. If you witnessed the incident or may have video surveillance of the area, please contact Officer N. Bautista at 707-781-1272 or [email protected]