Bystander stops attempted kidnapping on West Side, police say

A bystander intervened and stopped an armed man from kidnapping a girl from her mother Friday morning in the West Side Austin neighborhood.

The 13-year-old girl was walking with her mom about 8:55 a.m. in the 4900 block of West Huron Street when they were approached by a man with a gun, Chicago police said.

The man showed the gun and grabbed the girl’s arm, police said. He tried to pull the girl toward his vehicle, but a citizen on the street rushed over and caused the man to flee in his vehicle.

The attempted kidnapper was in his early 20s, standing about 6-feet tall, with a lightning bolt tattoo on the left side of his face and a second tattoo under his right eye, according to police.

He drove away in an gold-colored, 4-door vehicle with rust on the passenger side, police said.

Anyone with information was asked to call detectives at (312) 744-8261.