Edward William Banks: Man arrested for sexually assaulting the teen in a public restroom

A 14-year-old child was abducted and sexually assaulted in a public restroom by a man, 27, who has been named as Edward William Banks. The culprit can be seen walking with someone who appears to be a school student while having his hands around their neck in the CCTV footage provided by the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPD received a report of an assault on a 14-year-old on October 11. The victim is said to be the one who was assaulted. The culprit, according to the police, brought the victim to a public lavatory where he began his assault after threatening the adolescent with a weapon. Following this, the guy ran away until being apprehended by police in the 2500 block of Mallory Street after they received numerous leads about him. A video was circulated on the official YouTube channel of the Los Angeles Police Department with the title 'Suspect Wanted for Kidnap Sexual Assault.' In the description, the police department wrote, "The Los Angeles Police Department’s Juvenile Division, Abused Child Section detectives are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the suspect responsible for Kidnap Sexual Assault." The Los Angeles Police Department was made aware of the sexual assault investigation in a park in the 4700 block of Klamath Street on October 11, 2022. According to a preliminary inquiry, the 14-year-old victim had been contacted by an unidentified suspect. This incident was caught on CCTV in parts. A black male with curly hair, a goatee, and dark pants is the initial suspect description. He is also wearing a white shirt with red and green stripes. The culprit was ultimately identified as Banks on October 11 after more inquiries and multiple public tips. He has been accused of kidnapping in connection with sexual assault. The suspect's bail is currently set at $1 million.

Cases of such exacerbated crimes have demonstrated a substantial hike across the nation including California. According to reports discharged by police agencies, LA witnessed a 21% increase in aggravated crimes while a 22% hike in robberies.