Clay Moore's escape and heroism!
Date: Friday 02-23-07
A massive search is underway in Manatee County for the man who allegedly kidnapped 13-year-old Clay Moore. (Amber Alert also)
Moore was kidnapped from his bus stop Friday morning and found safe Friday afternoon.Fifteen Lincoln Middle School and Manatee School of the Arts students were waiting at a bus stop at the corner of Douglas Hill Place and Old Tampa Road in a rural area of Parrish
Moore was kidnapped from his bus stop Friday morning and found safe Friday afternoon.Fifteen Lincoln Middle School and Manatee School of the Arts students were waiting at a bus stop at the corner of Douglas Hill Place and Old Tampa Road in a rural area of Parrish
when a man in a maroon pickup truck came by, pointed a gun at Moore's face and then pulled him into the bed of the truck. It appears Moore was targeted because he was closest to the suspect's vehicle.
Alexis Jaffal, an 11-year-old who was at the bus stop when Moore was kidnapped, said Moore started to walk away from the man, saying, "Sir, I don't know you," but the man grabbed him and forced him into the truck. "There's no doubt about it," said Manatee County sheriff Charlie Wells. "He was taken against his will, he was taken at gunpoint, he was forced into that vehicle."Moore was found safe about 15 miles from where he was kidnapped in the Kibler Ranch/Faulkner Farm area. Wells said the suspect bound Moore and left the area. He worked himself free and walked for a considerable distance before coming across a farm worker. The worker gave him a cell phone to use and Moore called his mother.
Alexis Jaffal, an 11-year-old who was at the bus stop when Moore was kidnapped, said Moore started to walk away from the man, saying, "Sir, I don't know you," but the man grabbed him and forced him into the truck. "There's no doubt about it," said Manatee County sheriff Charlie Wells. "He was taken against his will, he was taken at gunpoint, he was forced into that vehicle."Moore was found safe about 15 miles from where he was kidnapped in the Kibler Ranch/Faulkner Farm area. Wells said the suspect bound Moore and left the area. He worked himself free and walked for a considerable distance before coming across a farm worker. The worker gave him a cell phone to use and Moore called his mother.
Wells would not disclose any details of what happened to Moore after he was abducted. Moore has some minor scratches but is otherwise uninjured. Moore is an eighth-grader at Manatee School of the Arts in Palmetto. Sheriff Charlie Wells announces Clay Moore was found safe.
The suspect is being described as a Hispanic male between 20-30 years old. He is about 5-foot-6 with dark hair and a mustache.
He was driving an older model dark red metallic Ford Ranger, with white or faded yellow pin stripe and blue cloth seats. He is considered armed and dangerous.
More than 100 law enforcement officers are looking for the suspect. Many cars are being stopped.Wells said nine registered sex offenders who live in the area have been cleared.Anyone with any information about the suspect is asked to call the sheriff's office at (941) 747-3011, or 911.
Update: Sunday 02-25-07
PARRISH, Fla. — A 13-year-old boy abducted at gunpoint from a school bus stop Friday morning made a "miraculous" escape hours later, authorities said. The gunman was still being sought.
Clay wasn't hurt except for scratches and scrapes, Sheriff Charlie Wells said. Clay was still being interviewed, and the sheriff declined to comment on what happened while the boy was alone with his captor.
"He was bound, he was able to get free," Wells said. "It was miraculous, to tell you the truth."
Clay was standing with about a dozen children and was closest to the gunman's red truck when he was taken at gunpoint about 9 a.m., Wells said. The boy was bound and taken to a wooded area. After being left alone, Clay managed to free himself and walk until he found a farm worker with a cell phone. He called his mother about 1:30 p.m. "It's a happy ending," Wells said. "(The parents) are relieved, and we are too." Clay's uncle, Gregory Moore, said the family was "overjoyed." "We all said all along that if there was a way out, Clay would find it," Moore said. "He's an ingenious, smart little guy. It didn't surprise me."
PARRISH, Fla. — A 13-year-old boy abducted at gunpoint from a school bus stop Friday morning made a "miraculous" escape hours later, authorities said. The gunman was still being sought.
Clay wasn't hurt except for scratches and scrapes, Sheriff Charlie Wells said. Clay was still being interviewed, and the sheriff declined to comment on what happened while the boy was alone with his captor.
"He was bound, he was able to get free," Wells said. "It was miraculous, to tell you the truth."
Clay was standing with about a dozen children and was closest to the gunman's red truck when he was taken at gunpoint about 9 a.m., Wells said. The boy was bound and taken to a wooded area. After being left alone, Clay managed to free himself and walk until he found a farm worker with a cell phone. He called his mother about 1:30 p.m. "It's a happy ending," Wells said. "(The parents) are relieved, and we are too." Clay's uncle, Gregory Moore, said the family was "overjoyed." "We all said all along that if there was a way out, Clay would find it," Moore said. "He's an ingenious, smart little guy. It didn't surprise me."
The focus now is on capturing the "coward" who committed the crime, Wells said. He said authorities were investigating reports that a similar truck had followed other children in the area recently.
Parrish, about 30 miles southeast of St. Petersburg, has seen explosive growth in recent years but still has many rural areas. The bus stop where the abduction occurred was at the entrance to a subdivision of relatively new homes off a rural road in eastern Manatee County.
Margi Nanney, spokeswoman for the county school district, said this is the first time anyone can remember that a student has been taken off the street here. The criminal's house was located and the truck was in the garage and he is nowhere to be found!
Parrish, about 30 miles southeast of St. Petersburg, has seen explosive growth in recent years but still has many rural areas. The bus stop where the abduction occurred was at the entrance to a subdivision of relatively new homes off a rural road in eastern Manatee County.
Margi Nanney, spokeswoman for the county school district, said this is the first time anyone can remember that a student has been taken off the street here. The criminal's house was located and the truck was in the garage and he is nowhere to be found!
Martha and I were nervous wrecks as this bus stop is only 5 miles from Derek's and this has scared us. Now there is a Nationwide manhunt for this criminal so please look at the picture below and if you see him call 911 so justice can be done!
posted by Cruz @ 10:03 PM
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