MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – People in Miami Gardens are on edge after a man tried to abduct a teenage girl at gunpoint last week as she walked to school.
The incident was reported Friday morning.
"That could've been my daughter, my sister, my mother," Gene Barr, who lives in the area, said.
Residents in the area were shocked upon learning that police responded to the nearby Miami Norland Senior High School after the 16-year-old girl said a man tried to force her into his car at gunpoint.
"I watch my surroundings where I walk by, who is following me, to make sure I'm safe," another student, Kenya Wilder, said.
Police said the teen was on her way to school just after 8 a.m. Friday when a man got out of his older-model silver Infiniti and pointed a gun at her back, telling her to get into the car.
Authorities said the girl continued to walk to school, ignoring the man's demands.
She told police that's when he got back into his car and tried to block her with his vehicle. She said she continued to walk, finally making it to school, where she immediately called police.
"That's sad, that's bad. (It) shouldn't be happening anywhere," Barr said. "He should be caught (and) prosecuted."
"That was very frightening, very devastating, and I'm glad she's OK. It could have been worse," Burnetha Clayton, whose child attends the high school, said.
Anyone with information about the man's identity is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477. Callers may remain anonymous.
