KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Prairie Village Police say a man chased an 11-year-old girl from Porter Park to the Blue Moose Bar and Grill Monday night.
The girl said she was suspicious of a van at the park, so she took a picture. 24-year-old Nathan Zerba, who was living inside the car, started chasing her all the way to the restaurant.
"This little girl comes running in kind of screaming and just mystified and scared," Alec Motley, manager at the Blue Moose, said. "She's not really able to fully get words out but screaming there's a guy chasing her then points to the door and says that's the guy right there."
Meredith Holladay was inside the restaurant at the time and caught part of the aftermath on video.
"We kind of assumed that something had happened in the parking lot and she ran in here," Holladay said. "Good for her to know to come into a public place where there are clearly going to be adults that can kind of back her up."
Motley told 41 Action News, "The feeling then was of defense. It was making sure that he could not get to her."
Zerba is facing municipal charges of disorderly conduct and assault. Prairie Village Police stress he was not trying to harm any children, and they do not believe that he is a threat. If something looks suspicious, officers ask that you call them.
The little girl is safe. Holladay added, "How terrifying for that kid just to be out and about on her bike, probably in her own neighborhood and then to be chased. I can only imagine how unsettling that would be."
