In a remarkable display of bravery, a Michigan teenager successfully thwarted an attempted kidnapping, saving his eight-year-old sister by striking the suspect twice with a slingshot.
According to a report by 9and10news, the incident unfolded as the young girl was searching for mushrooms in their backyard in Alpena, Michigan. The 17-year-old boy approached her with malicious intent to harm her severely, he later confessed.
The 8-year-old girl fought back and got away, and then her 13-year-old brother attacked with a slingshot.
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On Thursday, the perpetrator emerged from the woods behind the girl’s backyard, swiftly grabbing her and covering her mouth, intending to lead her deeper into the woods. Unbeknownst to them, the girl’s brother, observing the unfolding horror through a window in their house, sprang into action.
“He was able to grab his slingshot and was able to slingshot something that hit the suspect right in the head. And that caused him to let go. The girl was able to struggle and get away, and he shot another one, hit the suspect in the chest, and then fled the scene,” Lt. John Grimshaw revealed to 9and10news.
The 17-year-old culprit sustained injuries to his head and chest, aiding law enforcement in identifying him. Later that day, authorities apprehended him hiding at a local gas station. Grimshaw praised the heroic actions of the girl’s brother, stating, “He really is the one, that I believe, saved his sister’s life or from having something seriously bad happening to her.
For a 14-year-old to see that and to pop into action that quickly is extraordinary.” The suspect now faces multiple charges, including attempted kidnapping, attempted assault with intent to cause great bodily harm, assault, and battery, and is being held on a bond of $150,000. Due to being a juvenile, his identity remains undisclosed.
Fortunately, the young girl emerged physically unharmed from the ordeal. The incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing issue of missing children, with the FBI’s National Crime Information Center reporting 30,400 active missing person records for children under the age of 18 in 2021.
The community commends the courage and quick thinking of the teenage brother, whose actions in the face of danger undoubtedly saved his sister from a potentially tragic outcome.
