Police say a North Carolina man allegedly broke into a hotel room in Tampa and tried to kidnap a 4-year-old over the weekend.
According to the Tampa Police Department, 31-year-old Desmond Johnson, got inside a Hampton Inn at 4817 West Laurel Street on Saturday night and broke into one of the hotel rooms where there were 3 children.
Johnson tried to grab a 4-year-old, but the child’s mother ran out of the bathroom and fought off Johnson, police said.
Other hotel guests heard the screams, so they opened the door and let the mother and her children inside for their safety. However, Johnson followed the four victims and began fighting with the guests from the other room, police said.
An off-duty Palm Beach County deputy was in the area and was able to hold Johnson until Tampa police arrived.
Neither the mom or the children were hurt, TPD said. TPD said Johnson and the mother didn’t know each other prior to the incident.
Johnson was charged with two counts of burglary with battery and a count of attempted kidnapping.
One witness recorded the tense moments after the alleged attempted kidnapping. The child's mother cries to a TPD officer, "He tried to kidnap my child. You can look at his shirt, I had to fight…I had my daughter in my hand." @abcactionnews pic.twitter.com/gfYq7cYIGH
— Ryan Smith (@RyanReports) June 15, 2020