A terrifying kidnapping in New Orleans’ Algiers neighborhood ended with a 10-year-old boy bravely kicking his way to freedom after being abducted at gunpoint.
According to WVUE Fox 8 Live, police say they are still searching for the two masked men behind the Thursday afternoon attack that has shaken the community and left a family traumatized.
Abducted At Gunpoint While Walking Home
Fox 8 states that the boy’s mother said her 10-year-old son and his 6-year-old brother were walking home from the school bus stop on Kraft Place when two men dressed in all black and wearing ski masks approached with a gun. The suspects allegedly pushed the younger child to the ground and grabbed the older boy.
“My 10-year-old said they were holding hands, but you know when you’re running, eventually your hands let go,” the mother told the station.
She recalled the terrifying moment her younger son burst into the house screaming, “‘They took my brother!”
Can you imagine?
Forced Into An Abandoned House
On Fox 8, the 10-year-old recounted that the men brought him to an abandoned home on Farragut Street, just a block away. Inside, he said, they ordered him and another boy he didn’t know to strip down to their underwear.
“They were going to try to take a photo of me, like I don’t know,” said the boy when asked details about what happened. “But when they tried to do that, that was when one of them left. The other one said, ‘I’ll be right back.’”
That’s when the two children took the opportunity to save their lives.
A Daring Escape
With the captors momentarily separated, the two boys seized their chance. According to the 10-year-old, the kidnappers had locked the door, but he refused to stay trapped.
“They locked the door, so they made sure the door was locked, and that was when we tried to kick the door, and I kicked the door, and that’s when I had kicked the door down, and I had ran,” he said.
The boy sprinted toward home, which wasn’t far from where the kidnappers had hidden the boys away. He kept running until eventually he spots his father who was already out searching.
The family later discovered the child’s book bag and school clothes discarded across the street from their home, showcasing how close the crime scene was to their doorstep. Reported by Fox 8, a manager of the property confirmed to officials that the building is unoccupied, which investigators believe made it an easy hideout for the attackers.
Mother Credits Her Son’s Strength
The boy’s mother said she is grateful for his quick thinking and courage in the face of danger.
“I just thank God for the strength I have for raising my child to be the strong person he was in that moment,” she told Fox 8.
Investigation Ongoing
The New Orleans Police Department confirmed to Fox 8 that no suspects have been identified and that, as of Friday morning, no other victims are being investigated.
Authorities are asking anyone with information to call Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111.
