Victim of attempted kidnapping speaks

It’s a parent’s worst nightmare.

“I was really scared.”

Around 7:30 Wednesday morning, a man tried to kidnap a 12-year-old white city boy, who we’re calling John.

“I’m kind of skeptic about strangers right now.”

John’s mother allowed him to speak with us on camera, but NBC-5 news has chosen to protect his identity.

He says it all started when he was walking home alone from taking his brother to the bus stop on the 3600 block of Avenue G. That’s when he says a man approached him on the walkway connecting the Suncrest Mobile Estates and a neighboring trailer park.

“I thought he was going to walk past me. Then all of a sudden he made this sudden movement. He grabbed my arm and he kind of like, he said something about you’re gonna get hurt soon.”

John says he fought his way free from his attacker, “I punched him in the stomach.”

Then the 12-year-old ran home as fast as he could and told his mom.

“She got her stun gun.”

They called police and went out searching for the man, but couldn’t track him down.

From now on John says he and his friends are banding together, “we’re really looking out for each other.”

And he has a warning for other kids who plan on walking alone.

“If you’re in elementary school, walk with your parents or walk with a friend. If you’re in middle school walk with a friend, or even high school or college walk with a friend. Do not walk alone.”

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