A kidnapped woman miraculously escaped a cinderblock cell in Oregon by breaking the door down and bloodying her hands where she was chained up and sexually assaulted.
The suspect, 29-year-old Negasi Zuberi, who posed as an undercover cop and has been linked to violent attacks in at least four other states, was arrested by police in Reno, Nevada.
The FBI released photos of the makeshift cinderblock cell in Klamath Falls, Oregon, on Tuesday, where the victim was confined before her courageous escape.
‘She beat the door with her hands until they were bloody in order to break free,’ Police said in a press conference Wednesday. ‘Her quick-thinking and will to survive may have saved other women from a similar nightmare.’
Zuberi faces a federal interstate kidnapping charge, carrying a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Authorities are actively seeking additional victims as they have linked him to other sexual assaults in multiple states.
The suspect, 29-year-old, Negasi Zuberi, who is linked to violent attacks in at least four other states and posed as an undercover cop, has been arrested by police in Reno, Nevada
The FBI suspects Zuberi uses various methods of ‘gaining control’ of his victim – including drugging their drinks, and impersonating police officers
Zuberi faces a federal interstate kidnapping charge, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. Authorities said they are looking for additional victims after linking him to other sexual assaults
On July 15, Zuberi allegedly traveled from his Klamath Falls home to Seattle where he solicited a prostitute then posed as an undercover cop, according to court documents.
The victim told investigators that Zuberi pointed a taser at her and put her in handcuffs and leg irons in the back seat of his car, where he sexually assaulted the women
Zuberi drove about 450 miles and arrived at the Klamath Falls home, where he put her into a makeshift cell armed with a metal door and a garage composed of cinder blocks – installed in reverse, obstructing it so it cannot open from the inside.
‘According to the complaint, this woman was kidnapped, chained, sexually assaulted, and locked in a cinderblock cell,’ said Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Stephanie Shark with the FBI Portland Field Office.
The woman ‘briefly slept and awoke to the realization that she would likely die if she did not attempt to escape,’ the complaint says.
‘Police say, she beat the door with her hands until they were bloody in order to break free. Her quick thinking and will to survive may have saved other women from a similar nightmare,’ she added.
She then ripped the screen door and crawled out of a small space, causing several lacerations on her hands, according to police reports.
‘When she was trying to escape the cell itself, she repeatedly punched the door with her own hands,’ Klamath Police Capt. Rob Reynolds said at a news conference. ‘She had several lacerations along her knuckles.’
The victim noticed Zuberi’s vehicle parked in the garage, opened it, grabbed his gun and then took off, leaving behind blood on a wooden fence she climbed over to escape.
The woman successfully called for help, flagging down a driver who called 911.
Zuberi fled to Reno the next day but was found by police within hours, according to the complaint.
Officials found him in his car holding one of his children in the front seat while his wife was speaking to him from outside the vehicle.
Initially, he refused to exit his car and began cutting himself with a sharp object.
Klamath Falls Police Capt. Rob Reynolds speaks at a press conference at the FBI Portland field office in Portland, Ore., on Wednesday, August 2
An FBI flag and a seeking information posterboard displaying photos of suspect Negazi Zuberi are set up next to a podium ahead of a press conference at the FBI field office in Portland, Ore., on Wednesday
Stephanie Shark, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Portland field office, speaks at a press conference in Portland, Oregon, on Wednesday
He also tried to destroy his phone, according to the complaint.
He was eventually taken into custody after a stand-off with police and FBI in a public parking lot of a major shopping center, according to officials.
Zuberi eventually surrendered and the child wasn’t harmed.
‘We are fortunate that this brave woman escaped and alerted authorities. Through quick law enforcement action we were able to get Zuberi in custody the next day.’
‘While she may have helped protect future victims, sadly we have now linked Zuberi to additional violent sexual assaults in at least four states and there could be more.’
During the press conference, Shark said, ‘the victim is strong and courageous and right now she is physically okay, and we are working with her through our victim services department to make sure she has whatever resources she needs to continue to be resilient.’
Zuberi has reportedly lived in at least 10 different states over the past 10 years, according to the FBI. This is investigation now expands multiple states – from New York, New Jersey, Florida, Nevada, Colorado, Oregon, Utah and more.
The FBI suspects Zuberi uses various methods of ‘gaining control’ of his victim – including drugging their drinks, threatening them with retaliation and impersonating police officers.
Investigators searched Zuberi’s residence and found the makeshift cell, the woman’s purse and handwritten notes.
One note titled ‘Operation Take Over,’ included a bullet list with entries that read ‘Leave phone at home’ and ‘Make sure they don’t have a bunch of ppl (sic) in their life. You don’t want any type of investigation.’
Another showed a rough sketch of an underground structure using concrete blocks, foam insulation and waterproof concrete.
The investigation is ongoing and the FBI encourages anyone who thinks they may have come in contact with the suspect to reach out.