The TikTok video depicts a man crouching near a woman’s legs while she is shopping at a Burbank Barnes & Noble store. (Michaela Witter)
A man caught in a TikTok video lurking near women’s legs was arrested at the Burbank Library Friday.
The suspect’s name has not been released, but Burbank police have confirmed that the man they believe responsible has been located and arrested in Glendale.
“The incident was reported directly to Burbank police and is being investigated,” the police said. The incident was videotaped and deemed an invasion of privacy. Investigators are also aware of other possible victims.”
In a video posted to social media, the victim, 28-year-old Michaela Witter, was shopping at Barnes & Noble on August 7 when she noticed a strange man was following her.
“I felt like wherever I moved, he kept following me,” she recalls. “So I taped him in case he was trying to say anything or do anything to me, but I certainly didn’t expect him to do this.”
In the video, the man is seen crouching on the ground and getting very close to Witter’s legs. He is later seen doing the same thing to another woman surfing nearby.
“I was so terrified,” she said. “He was literally under me, so terrifyingly close to me, so I decided to tell the front desk.”
Witter turned and faced the man, asking him what he was doing. He claimed he was tying his shoes.
“Which it wasn’t,” Witter said. “He was pretending. His shoes were tied.”
After posting the video on TikTok, Witter said, “A lot of women were very empathetic because they had been harassed and stalked by men.”
She still didn’t know what the suspect was trying to do. You didn’t see a cell phone in his hand at that time either.
After the video was posted, commentators claimed that the suspect was likely the same man with a long criminal history of embezzlement, wandering, and burglary in the Glendale area.
Burbank police have not confirmed these details because the investigation is still ongoing.
“The Burbank Police Department has learned of information circulating on social media regarding an incident that occurred at the Barnes & Noble bookstore on August 7, 2023,” authorities said in a statement. “This afternoon, the person believed to be responsible for the act was arrested in the City of Glendale. The investigation is ongoing and no additional information is being released at this time.”
Investigators said they are also speaking with other potential victims of the suspect at this time. Anyone with information can contact Burbank Police at 818-238-3000.
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