ALPENA TOWNSHIP (WWJ) - A 13-year-old boy stopped another teen from adducting his younger sister in Northern Michigan by fighting the suspect off with a slingshot on Wednesday, state police said.
According to Michigan State Police, the 8-year-old girl was looking for mushrooms in her backyard in Alpena Township when a 17-year-old male suspect emerged from the woods and grabbed her.
Police said the girl tried to breakaway from her abductor, but the suspect held on and covered her mouth.
The girl's 13-year-old brother witnessed the kidnapping attempt and jumped in to save his sister.
According to troopers, the brother shot the 17-year-old with a slingshot in the head and chest before the suspect let go of the girl and ran off. Another family member saw the suspect and was able to provide a description of the teen to police.
The boy was found a short while later at a near by gas station. Troopers observed wounds from the slingshot on the 17-year-old and he was arrested.
According to a prepared statement from MSP, the suspect admitted to troopers during an interview that he wanted to severely beat the young girl.
He was lodged at the Alpena County Jail and was arraigned on Thursday on several charges, including one count of attempted kidnapping/child enticement, one count of attempted assault to do great bodily harm less than murder, and one count of assault and battery.
Authorities said despite the teen being a minor, he was charged as an adult over the incident. His identity was not released.
The teen was given a $150,000 cash surety bond and is scheduled to appear back in court on May 17th.