Baltimore, MD - Quick work may have prevented a potential murder in southwest Baltimore. That's what police in the city are saying, claiming they were able to stop a kidnapping case before it turned violent.
Their officers chased down suspects and freed a kidnapped teenager in a matter of moments, thanks to an anonymous phone call.
Cops have arrested two men in this case, 19-year-old Anton Eastman and 20- year-old Travis Spears. They were picked up yesterday in the southwest section of the city.
Police say city officers on routine patrol were flagged down by Joseph Batson, who claimed his 17-year-old son had been kidnapped on his way to school.
While cops talked with Batson, charging documents show the suspects called his cell phone. They reportedly demanded $50,000 and drugs, threatening to cut off the boy’s fingers if the ransom wasn’t paid.
CLICK HERE | More Baltimore City Crime Reports
Just a few minutes after that call, police say a tipster contacted 9-1-1 and reported seeing someone being led into a vacant house on the 100-block of south Catherine Street. The caller said the person’s head was covered with a bag and he'd been handcuffed.
City police officers quickly responded to the home. The suspects fled from the building and were chased by police, who were able to make arrests. City Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi says, "It’s an amazing example of how the system is supposed to work.
Police get a call, citizens call in when they see something is wrong, then police make an arrest. And
honestly we believe a murder was thwarted, a potential murder."
Police say they found the teenager in the basement of the home. He was not injured. Investigators are still exploring why the young man was kidnapped.
