Michigan boy, 13, saves sister by hitting potential kidnapper with slingshot

Boy’s eight-year-old sister was hunting for mushrooms in her back yard in a rural area when she was attacked

A 13-year-old boy in Michigan saved his younger sister from a potential kidnapper by shooting the attacker with a slingshot, according to authorities.

Police called the boy’s actions “extraordinary” and said he deserved to be commended after defending his sister with a weapon many associate with the biblical hero David – in his mortal battle against Goliath – and Link, the protagonist of the classic video game The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

The boy’s eight-year-old sister was hunting for mushrooms in her back yard in a rural area of Alpena township on Wednesday when a 17-year-old boy emerged from the woods, according to Michigan state police.

“The suspect had come through the woods on to the property and came from behind her, grabbed her like you’d see in the movies – hand over the mouth, arm around the waist – and was attempting to pull her into the woods,” the state police lieutenant John Grimshaw told the local news outlet WGTU.

The girl’s older brother saw the apparent abduction attempt from his bedroom window and proceeded to shoot the assailant in the head and chest with his slingshot, police said.

“He really is the one that I believe saved his sister’s life or from something seriously bad happening to her,” Grimshaw said. “For a 13-year-old to see that and to pop into action that quickly is extraordinary and he should be commended for it,” said Grimshaw.

Police said they arrested the 17-year-old they identified as the suspect after they found him hiding at a nearby gas station.

“What [the brother] did also helped us to identify who the suspect was because obviously, he had injuries from getting hit with a slingshot,” Grimshaw said.

The siblings’ uncle posted about the case on Facebook, Newsweek reported.

The post read: “Hey everyone earlier today my niece was almost kidnapped out of her own yard here in Alpena on the south end of town, a young 17-year-old with a black mohawk grab my niece and tried kidnapping her my nephew heard her screaming and saw through his window and shot the guy with a slingshot the guy let go cops were called found out that the guy now in custody.

“Our kids are too precious to let somebody try to take them when your kids are outside playing, we really need to pay attention to what they’re doing and who’s around them I’m very proud of my nephew and I know my niece’s traumatized and I’m sending prayers for her they had to be extremely scary for her.”

The boy’s actions have been met with praise online, with one user writing on Twitter: “Big brother for the win.”

Another person wrote: “What a brave kid.”

“That kid deserves a medal,” someone else said.

According to WGTU, the suspect confessed to authorities that he had planned to severely beat the girl. He was booked into the Alpena county jail on counts of attempted kidnapping, child enticement, attempted assault to do great bodily harm, and assault and battery.

The suspect’s bond was set at $150,000, and he is scheduled to appear in court on 17 May for a probable cause hearing, according to MLive.

Contributor

Maya Yang

The GuardianTramp

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