FERNDALE, Mich. – On Friday, authorities revealed details on their investigation into the abduction of a teenager in Ferndale, who had since been safely recovered.
Ferndale police and the FBI said a Ferndale High School senior was abducted at gunpoint on Wednesday while at a gas station during school hours.
Police said the 16-year-old girl was pumping gas at a station on 8 Mile Road when a couple approached her and forced her into their vehicle at gunpoint.
Read more: Ferndale teen abducted at gunpoint, assaulted by couple
Local 4 Defender Shawn Ley spoke to an expert with Detroit Urban Survival Training (DUST) in Ferndale to find out what steps teens can take to protect themselves. Teens were able to learn survival skills over the weekend at the training center.
Dale Brown and his wife Mirela Brown own Detroit Urban Survival Training.
“When I heard about this abduction the first thing I thought was, ‘This is why we teach,’” Dale Brown said.
The couple held a class over the weekend to teach teens skills on how to fight back from attackers.
Police said Kahlil Floyd, the man accused of abducting the Ferndale teen, first tried to talk her up in the gas station. Dale Brown said the response is all about attitude.
“The person engages you, they’re actually assessing you at that point. They’re doing an assessment. That’s why they’re talking to you in the gas station. Their job then is to determine if you’re a good candidate to be abducted,” Dale Brown said. " So, what you’re gonna wanna do is project strength. You wanna say, in a very positive and strong way, ‘No thank you. I’m not interested.’”
The couple taught everyone how to grab a gun and twist.
“We show you how to take it so you can remove the weapon,” Dale Brown said. “All you’re doing is increasing someone’s potential for survivability in a worst case scenario.”
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