‘Modern-Day David’ Saves Sister from Kidnapper with Slingshot
When the nation of Israel was facing a grave threat, God called forth a young man to overcome the evil threatening His people and he did so using only a sling and a rock.
Now, thousands of years later, a young boy in Michigan saved his little sister from the threat of child abduction using only his slingshot.
Police in Alpena Township, located in northern Michigan, say the 8-year-old girl was in her backyard looking for mushrooms when the assailant stepped out from the nearby woods and attempted to pull her back into the forest.
As the two struggled, the girl’s older brother (various reports list him as either 13 or 14) witnessed what was happening from his bedroom window.
Jumping into action, the boy grabbed his slingshot and sniped the assailant in the head and chest with expertly aimed shots, reminiscent of Chris Kyle, Carlos Hathcock, Annie Oakley and the original sharpshooter: David.
It was the barrage of projectiles “that caused him to let go,” Lieutenant John Grimshaw, commander of the local post of the Michigan State Troopers, told 9 and 10 News.
“The girl was able to struggle and get away and he shot another one [projectile] that hit the suspect in the chest and he then fled the scene,” adds Grimshaw.
As the attacker fled, the family notified police of the attempted abduction which occurred on Wednesday, May 10, but was not reported until Friday, May 12. The suspect was found hiding at a gas station not far from the family’s home.
“What he [the brother] did also helped us to identify who the suspect was because obviously, he had injuries from getting hit with a slingshot,” says Grimshaw.
The attempted kidnapper, an unnamed 17-year-old, admitted to police that he was planning to kidnap the girl and beat her. He is being charged as an adult on counts of “attempted kidnapping, attempted assault to do great bodily harm less than murder and one count of assault and battery.” He was booked on Thursday and is being held on $150,000 cash bond.
Lt. Grimshaw gave some grave advice to parents on how children should react in situation of dealing with a kidnapper:
“Fight, fight, do everything you can; bite the hand[…] stomp on their feet, kick them in the shin, do whatever you can to fight,” he says. “And then if your mouth is free, scream as loud as you possibly can.”
This story serves as a lesson for Christians as well, showing the need for taking action in trying times and circumstances is a necessity in the physical world just as it is in the spiritual realm.
According to James 2, faith must be accompanied by works (action) in the Christian walk. Demonstrate your faith by standing up for what is good and righteous in the eyes of the Lord.
Works justified Abraham and the prostitute Rahab, and it justified the bravery and love of this young man who saved his sister from the hands of a predator in this sin-cursed world. {eoa}
James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.
