ALPENA, Mich. – A boy from Alpena Township helped fight off an attempted kidnapper using a slingshot to save his sister, says Michigan State Police.
Michigan State Police out of the seventh district reported that an 8-year-old girl was out mushroom hunting in her backyard on Wednesday when a suspect appeared out of the woods. WOOD, an NBC affiliate out of Grand Rapids, stated the suspect held the girl’s mouth shut, preventing her from screaming, and attempted to drag her into the woods near her home.
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The girl’s brother, who is 13, saw the suspect, 17, attempting an abduction of his sister and started shooting at the man using a slingshot. He hit the attempting abductor in the head and chest.
Officials say that troopers found the suspect hiding at a nearby gas station. Reportedly the man had injuries from the 13-year-old using his slingshot.
The 17-year-old suspect told troopers he planned to beat the 8-year-old girl.
Officials announced that the suspect had been charged as an adult on a count of attempted kidnapping/child enticement, one count of attempted assault to do great bodily harm less than murder, and one count of assault and battery.
The 17-year-old’s next court appearance is on May 17.