The suspect is described as white, in his 20s, standing about six feet tall. (Calgary Police Services)

Police are searching for a man who apparently tried to abduct a young girl in Calgary's southwest on Tuesday night.

Two girls, aged nine and 10, were walking in the 3400 block of 28th Avenue S.W. around 6 p.m. when police say a man got out of his vehicle and grabbed the nine-year-old from behind — lifting her off the ground.

The girl kicked and screamed until the man dropped her. He fled in his vehicle, which is described as a 1990s beige or gold four-door sedan with three lines on the side that may have been molding.

The girls ran to the home of one of the victims to tell her parents, who then called police.

Duty Insp. Keith Cain said these type of daylight kidnapping attempts are rare and alarming.

"The girls did the right thing, they reacted properly," he said. "She fought, she screamed, she alerted other persons to her danger, and as a result the offender was scared off."

He said there are a few witnesses to the incident being interviewed.

Family trying to move forward

The mother of the 10-year-old girl, who did not want to be identified to protect her daughter, said the two girls were riding their bikes.

It was still light outside, she said, and the young girls frequently play at the three parks around their neighbourhood.

The incident happened as the girls were walking their bikes home.

The family says they are trying to move forward so their daughter won’t live in fear and even sent her to school the day after the incident.

The suspect is described as white, in his 20s, standing about six feet tall. He has a slender build with shorter brown hair and brown eyes.

He was wearing a red T-Shirt with a small Calgary Flames logo on the upper chest, beige pants and black shoes.

"I think all citizens of Calgary have to be aware that this person is out there," said Cain. "Hopefully parents will speak with their children ... let them know what they should do in a situation like this, and that of course is to fight back and make noise."