A quick-thinking mom rescued her 5-year-old son during an attempted kidnapping in Queens on Thursday, July 15, and police have arrested one of the two men connected to the failed abduction.
A four-door maroon sedan — believed to be an older model — can be seen on video surveillance pulling up in front of 117-02 Hillside Ave., near Myrtle Avenue, in Richmond Hill at around 8 p.m. on July 15.
The driver can be seen jumping out of the car and sprinting toward the sidewalk where he grabbed the young boy and threw him into the car. The boy’s mother can be seen racing to the car and with the help of a passerby, they pulled the boy through the open front passenger window.
Several men can be seen walking toward the car as the driver hits the gas heading southbound on Hillside Avenue and then westbound on Jamaica Avenue, according to the NYPD.
Officers from the 102nd Precinct responded to the incident. No serious injuries were reported.
On Friday night, the NYPD announced the arrest of James McGonagle, 24, of Parsons Boulevard in Flushing. He was identified as the man on camera walking out of the vehicle and attempting to grab the child.
McGonagle was charged with attempted kidnapping, reckless endangerment and acting in a manner injurious to a child.
The passenger in the car, meanwhile, remains at large. He is described as a light-skinned man who is approximately 50 to 60 years old and was last seen with eyeglasses, an orange shirt, blue jeans and black shoes, according to authorities.
Anyone with information in regard to the identity of the suspects is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at nypdcrimestoppers.com, or on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
