Teen uses slingshot to save sister from alleged kidnapper: Police

A teenager helped save his younger sister from an alleged kidnapper by 
shooting the suspect with his slingshot, Michigan authorities said.

The 8-year-old girl was mushroom-hunting in her backyard in Alpena 
Township on Wednesday when "an unknown male appeared from the woods," the 
Michigan State Police said in a press release on Friday.

"The suspect had come through the woods onto 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," Lt. John Grimshaw with the Michigan State Police told ABC Traverse 
City affiliate WGTU.

The girl was able to break free, police said. Her 13-year-old brother also 
witnessed the attack and shot the assailant in the head and chest with his 
slingshot, police said.

Grimshaw called the teen's actions "extraordinary."

"He really is the one that ... I believe saved his sister's either life or 
from something seriously bad happening to her," Grimshaw told WGTU. "He 
should be commended for it."

The suspect fled the area but was located by state troopers hiding at a 
nearby gas station and was able to be identified in part due to injuries 
from the slingshot, police said.

"The suspect had obvious signs of injury sustained from the slingshot with 
wounds to his head and chest," police said.

The suspect -- identified as a 17-year-old from Alpena -- was taken into 
custody and allegedly confessed to detectives that he "planned on severely 
beating the victim," police said. He was lodged in the Alpena County Jail 
without incident, police said.

The suspect was arraigned on Thursday on 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, 
according to police.

His bond was set at $150,000 and his next court appearance was scheduled 
for May 17, police said.

The suspect is being charged as an adult but his name has not been 
released by police.

<https://abcnews.go.com/US/teen-slingshot-save-sister-alleged-kidnapper-
police/story?id=99304792>