Police let man who tried to abduct a 5 year old go free

JaJae · 10-20-2006, 09:30 PM

Man in Gorilla Suit Grabs 5-Year-Old, Runs Through Supermarket

NBC News Channel/KING-TV Video Report

By NBC News Channel / KING-TV

LAKEWOOD, WA -- Police in Washington state are asking for the public's help in tracking down a man who dressed in a gorilla suit and terrorized a child, and his parents, when he grabbed the five year old and ran through a supermarket.

The child's family chased the man down and he was detained by security. But it's what happened next that has the family even more upset.

On August 2nd at the B and I Market Place, a man dressed in a gorilla suit abducted a 5-year-old child and tried to race out of the store with him.

Anthony and April Santiago desperately chased and then caught the man who grabbed their son Noah. The man was detained by store security who called Lakewood Police. But security officers and the family said that after some questioning, the police let the man go.

They had pictures of the guy -- in the costume and out of the costume. Security saw the guy take the mask off. There was no denying he was who he was and they let him go. Lakewood Police did not return our calls to KING-TV.

However, Crimestoppers did release a picture of the suspect. The Santiagos are relieved that they got their son back, but they fear what this man could do next. The suspect is a 17-year-old African American male 5'11 weighing 200 pounds.

The Santiagos are so upset by the incident they are considering legal action against the Lakewood Police Department.

Did I forget to mention he was in a gorilla suit? Cliffs: A 17 year old in a gorilla suit grabbed a five year old and tried to run out of a supermarket with him. The family and security guards chased him down. The police arrived and let him go.

I understand the kid is a minor. But he tried to abduct a child. It was probably a joke, but why weren't the parents given the option at the scene to press charges? Why do we let people who grab children and run off with them go free? At the very least he deserved to go to court for criminal mischief. The poor kid must have been horrified.

Scrum · 10-20-2006, 11:10 PM

My wife just saw something about this on the news.

I didn't hear it was a 17 year old or that he was in a gorilla suit.

I just got done with a 20 minute rant on how I would be in prison if that happened to me.
I would have beaten the person to death after doing something like that.

Scrum · 10-20-2006, 11:12 PM

Oh and I would sue the crap out of that police department.

JaJae · 10-20-2006, 11:37 PM

Originally Posted by Scrumtralecent

I didn't hear it was a 17 year old or that he was in a gorilla suit.

Yea here's a pic from the store's security cameras. Poor kid must have been horrified.

If the resolution were any better it would make for quite the interesting photoshop.

R-Type · 10-20-2006, 11:44 PM

Obviously the police let him go because they determined he was not a threat..and in today's world where people have been conditioned by propaganda to think everyone's a molester or kidnapper, that says a lot. It would be nice, though, if they would tell us what he was doing and why.

R-Type · 10-21-2006, 03:17 AM

well I just saw a clip about this tonight.. apparently he lied about his name, but still no info other than that he maintains it was a harmless prank and has turned himself in to authorities.

Kytro · 10-21-2006, 03:28 AM

not enough information to reallly come to any conclusion

illavbill · 10-21-2006, 04:09 PM

rofl. I work with her. Poor lady. THe whole story is fucked. I dubbed the original CD for her yesterday for her inside edition interview to be done today.
Video Player
more video if you want to see. Nothing really happened so she got pissed last week and went to the mayor and went off and went back to the news after that.

JaJae · 10-21-2006, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by illavbill

rofl. I work with her. Poor lady. THe whole story is fucked. I dubbed the original CD for her yesterday for her inside edition interview to be done today.
Video Player
more video if you want to see. Nothing really happened so she got pissed last week and went to the mayor and went off and went back to the news after that.

Very interesting. I'm on dial-up, I'll check it out later.

I'm sure the kid was just playing around. But the family should have been given some legal options at the scene. Somebody did grab their kid and try to run away with him..

illavbill · 10-21-2006, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by JaJae

Very interesting. I'm on dial-up, I'll check it out later.

I'm sure the kid was just playing around. But the family should have been given some legal options at the scene. Somebody did grab their kid and try to run away with him..

aparently the dude had someone related to him waiting in a running car

But then again that came from her, who knows if its all true. But the area that the B&I is in is pretty shitty. The shopping center used to be nice but its really ghetto now. The only reason I go there is the shady car audio shops have good prices and they have osme nice knives.

illavbill · 10-21-2006, 04:47 PM

Man I need to post here more i only have 20 posts! what a n00b

KatKanPlay · 10-21-2006, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by illavbill

Man I need to post here more i only have 20 posts! what a n00b

Does this mean you dont have an opinion on this topic?

KatKanPlay · 10-21-2006, 07:55 PM

When I consider how terrified that child must have been at that moment.

Someone needs to lose a job here.

Kytro · 10-21-2006, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by KatKanPlay

When I consider how terrified that child must have been at that moment.

Someone needs to lose a job here.

On what basis?

KatKanPlay · 10-21-2006, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by Kytro

On what basis?

Isnt terrorism in any form against the law? This took stranger danger to a new level.

Kytro · 10-21-2006, 10:34 PM

Originally Posted by KatKanPlay

Isnt terrorism in any form against the law? This took stranger danger to a new level.

Uhm, the use of violence to achieve political ends.....how is this circumstance "terrorism"

In any case, I am trying to figure out who you think didn't do thier job and needs to be fired?

JaJae · 10-21-2006, 10:35 PM

Originally Posted by Kytro

Uhm, the use of violence to achieve political ends.....how is this circumstance "terrorism"

In any case, I am trying to figure out who you think didn't do thier job and needs to be fired?

I think she's referring to the police officers who let the guy go despite the mother's concerns and obvious desire to press charges.

Kytro · 10-22-2006, 06:44 AM

Originally Posted by JaJae

I think she's referring to the police officers who let the guy go despite the mother's concerns and obvious desire to press charges.

Ah. I don't know why the case was not persued, perhaps they didn't believe they would get a conviction?