AUSTIN (KXAN) — An Austin ISD high school student was walking home from school Monday evening when a man approached the student and forced her into a vehicle. People in the area intervened and came to the aid of the student, who was unharmed.

Police are investigating the incident as an attempted kidnapping, saying it took place in the 8200 block of Renton Drive at 5 p.m. Austin police located the suspect, identified Wednesday as Philip Gamez, 30, and arrested him a few hours later.

Neighbors in the area say they got a notification about the crime through an app. “Suspect was a large Caucasian, burly man, approximately 6 foot tall with red hair, driving a silver Chevy Tahoe, slowed down and attempted to pull a girl in his car when one of the neighbors realized what was going on and jumped in the passenger side of the vehicle,” Hazel Anderson, a neighbor, read from the notification.

One neighbor says he remembers seeing the Tahoe just before police arrived. “I saw the silver Tahoe parked down the street, my brother lives down the street and he was parked directly across the street from where my brother lives,” Bart Williamson said. “It was pretty frightening.”

The principal of Burnet Middle School, which is about two blocks away from the location of the incident, sent a letter home to parents saying police will “maintain increased patrols in the area.”

Principal David Dean gave the following safety recommendations and tips to students: