STAFF REPORTS
Walnut – The T.J. Maxx parking lot at Grand Avenue and Valley Boulevard beheld a frightening scene as a Walnut woman was kidnapped in a carjacking on Thursday afternoon, Feb. 6.
The Walnut resident in her late 30s was confronted by a strange man as she was getting into her car at around 2 p.m. L.A. County Sheriff’s deputies report that the man prevented her from closing her door at gunpoint, and forced himself into her car.
The suspect made the woman drive around for over an hour, and headed into south Los Angeles. At that point she noticed a police car, stopped her vehicle, and bravely ran toward safety.
The Los Angeles Police were able to confront the suspect without incident and seized the BB gun (which looked like a Beretta 9mm handgun) used in the kidnapping. He was subsequently turned over to Sheriff’s deputies.
Witnesses in the T.J. Maxx parking lot reported the incident, and deputies first responded to that location. They are still looking for additional witnesses and other possible crimes committed by the suspect, reported only as a parolee from San Gabriel Valley in his 30s. The suspect has not given any indication to his motives for committing this crime.
