Boy fires slingshot at kidnapper who tried to snatch little sister, police say

A 13-year-old boy hit a would-be kidnapper in the head and chest with a slingshot on Wednesday after the man attempted to grab his younger sister from out of their backyard, Michigan State Police said.

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The 8-year-old girl was mushroom hunting in their backyard in Alpena Township when the man came out from the woods nearby, according to the Petoskey News-Review. He held her mouth shut, though she was eventually able to break free, the newspaper reported.

Police said the girl’s brother saw the confrontation and fired his slingshot at the suspect, hitting him in the head and chest, according to The Detroit News. The man ran, though another family member was able to give police a description of him, authorities said in a news release obtained by MLive.com.

A family member saw a person matching the suspect’s description running from the area, according to the Manistee News Advocate. Troopers canvassed the area and found the suspect, identified as a 17-year-old from Alpena, at a nearby gas station, the newspaper reported.

The suspect had “obvious signs of injury sustained from the slingshot,” police said in the news release.

Under questioning, the suspect admitted that he planned to severely beat the girl, the News reported. It was not immediately clear why the girl was targeted.

The suspect was arraigned Thursday on charges including attempted kidnapping and assault and battery, the News-Review reported. Authorities said he will be charged as an adult.