Tampa, Jacksonville authorities investigated apparent kidnapping

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Investigators in both Tampa and Jacksonville are looking into the apparent kidnapping of a Tampa man.

Around 1 a.m. Tuesday, a guest at the Sheraton Suites on West Cypress told police he heard a commotion outside.

He saw someone standing outside a white van, punching into an open sliding door. By the time Tampa police arrived, the van was gone.

Then, 12 hours later: "Jacksonville police give us a call and they say they found a man handcuffed, running down the street, needs help,” said TPD spokesperson Steve Hegarty.

That person, a man in his 30s, said he was abducted from Tampa. He told investigators he was being held captive at the Ice Lounge and Grill in Jacksonville before he was able to escape.

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office surrounded the business and went inside, but no one was there.

"He was pretty tired and clearly had injuries that he had sustained so he obviously went through some kind of traumatic event. What that is? We're trying to determine,” said Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Mike Musser.

The victim is said to be cooperating with detectives but they still don't know why he was abducted, who did it and why, and where the suspects are now.

“There’s a lot of mystery behind this whole thing but we do believe what happened here in Tampa is related to what happened in Jacksonville,” Hegarty said.

No arrests have been made yet, and there are no suspect descriptions.