Man arrested in connection with attempted kidnapping at SeaTac park
SEATAC, Wash. - A 54-year-old man was arrested in connection with an attempted kidnapping at a SeaTac park, city officials said.
It was the middle of the afternoon, Sunday. North SeaTac park was filled with families on the playground and players on the soccer field in the middle of a match. "It was towards the end of the game we just see everyone run towards the playground area." Martin Ramirez and his teammates weren’t sure what was going on, but it didn’t seem good.
"Just by the look on everyone’s face, everyone had a worried face, people sprinting over there I kind of told the referee hey just stop the game," says Ramirez.
Players from both teams in the La Liga Del Sur league ran over to help detain a man who was trying to flee. Ramirez soon realized that man had tried to kidnap his 6-year-old niece on the playground.
Police reports say a mother on the playground saw the man lurking in the area and staring at her children. She told detectives once he noticed her, he turned his attention to the 6 year old girl… grabbing her arm. The woman then grabbed the girl’s other arm – and started screaming for help.
The girl’s 11-year-old brother then tried to help her escape, but the man punched the boy in the face. That’s when the soccer players got there and pinned the man to the ground.
Ramirez says the whole family is traumatized but thankful. "Once the whole situation is over you start to think, wow if this man would’ve been more physical, faster, younger, or had a weapon-who’s to say any of us could’ve stopped him, yeah it was pretty scary to think about that, but you kind of don't want to think about that too much."
The suspect was taken into custody and booked into King County Jail.
He was arrested on investigation of kidnapping and investigation of assault of a child.
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