Police searching for possible armed suspect after Fort Lauderdale woman allegedly kidnapped, found
FORT LAUDERDALE -- Police are searching for a suspect after they say a man held a couple at gun point before kidnapping the woman inside of a car.
"Car just took off and that's when you heard a pop," said Donato Pionegro, who witnessed the incident.
Police say a man and a woman were sitting inside of a car here on the 100 block of Southwest 2nd Avenue around 5:30 am, when a man holding a gun came up to their window.
Police say the man sitting in the driver seat fled, and that's when they say the suspect hopped in and took off with the woman in the passenger seat.
"All I heard was a loud crash, and then I heard a guy say get out of the car, get out of the car," said Pionegro.
Shortly after, Fort Lauderdale Police and the Broward County Sheriff's Office found the car with the woman inside on I-95, near Oakland Park Boulevard, but the suspect already ran away.
Locals now reacting to the disturbing kidnapping in a busy part of downtown Fort Lauderdale.
"I feel terrible for the victims," said one man who lives in the area.
"It happened to me before. In Argentina, I had that happen and I didn't do anything, you have to stay as calm as you can," said local Romy Hadita.
As folks enjoy the rest of the weekend downtown, they tell us they're keeping their heads on swivel.
"What can you do? It can happen to you during the day, at night — anytime. Right now, we have to be careful, we have to try to always go with someone not alone — that's all," said Hadita.
Police say the woman in the car received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.
So far, no arrests have been made and police are asking anyone who knows anything about this kidnapping to come forward.
The woman is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to police.