Man follows woman in Target, then kidnaps and rapes her, Louisiana cops say

A Louisiana man is accused of following a woman into the parking lot of a Target store, then kidnapping and raping her, police say and news outlets report.

Police arrested Donnie Lee Stevenson, 18, in connection to the March 20 attack in Hammond, the city’s police department said in a March 21 news release.

Stevenson was taken into custody after a search by local, parish, state and federal law enforcement, according to the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators say Stevenson stole a car from his hometown of Independence and drove to the Target in neighboring Hammond for the purpose of stalking women, WBRZ reported.

He followed the woman inside the Target, out to her car, then forced her into the car at gunpoint before raping her at another location, police told the station. At some point, police said Stevenson made the woman drive back to Target where she got help from bystanders.

Stevenson was caught after someone recognized him from photos shared with the public by police, and he fled into some woods near Independence before authorities found him, WVUE reported.

Further investigation revealed Stevenson had followed several women at the Target, apparently taking his time in choosing a victim, police told the outlet.

Stevenson was booked into the Tangipahoa Parish Jail on March 22, records show.

Hammond is a roughly 60-mile drive northwest from New Orleans.

This story was originally published March 23, 2025 at 4:07 PM with the headline "Man follows woman in Target, then kidnaps and rapes her, Louisiana cops say."