Watch: Video shows terrifying moment of Arizona man Joseph Ruiz allegedly trying to abduct a girl walking to school

Joseph Ruiz, a 37-year-old man from Glendale, Arizona, was taken into custody by the Glendale Police after he allegedly tried to abduct an elementary school student. The incident took place on the morning of Friday, January 26, 2024, while the girl was on her way to school.

Police said that Ruiz allegedly tried to snatch the girl as she was on her way to school and the entire incident was captured on video on a neighbor's camera. The video helped law enforcement officers to identify Ruiz and subsequently arrest him. It showed Ruiz making a U-turn on the street and getting out of his car hastily, chasing the girl briefly before returning to his car, according to Crime Online.

Glendale Police acquired the surveillance footage from the neighbor to analyze the evidence during the investigation. Following that, Ruiz was arrested and is being charged with a felony for kidnapping as well as custodial interference.

Trigger warning: This video shows the attempted abduction of a minor. Discretion is advised.

As of now, there is no official confirmation of any potential relationship between the victim and the suspect.

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Attempted kidnapping incident in Glendale, Arizona raises concerns for community

The incident unfolded when Joseph Ruiz, 37, allegedly tried to abduct the elementary school girl on Friday in Glendale, Arizona. A resident of the area near the school, Nayeli Martinez, described the moment that the security camera at her house caught. According to Law & Crime, Nayelli said that the moment gave her "goosebumps" as she saw the young girl's attempted abduction.

The video also showed the girl yelling "No!" as Ruiz chased her. It even showed a silver sedan waiting for the girl to pass by. Police noted that Ruiz got out of the car and tried to grab the girl, who managed to escape. They added that three other students also huddled around the girl to protect her.

A witness on the scene, Amcy Borquez, said that the three children were "brave for their age."

"I'm telling them all day, like you're heroes." Borquez added.

The girl's guardians filed a police report noting that an unidentified adult male attempted to kidnap her on the way to school. The girl's school, Sunset Elementary School, sent a letter to parents stating that the suspect allegedly followed her from her apartment. This has left parents scared, over the safety of their children as reported by KPHO.

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Arizona man arrested for attempted kidnapping of elementary school student

As mentioned earlier, Joseph Ruiz is facing charges in Maricopa County for attempting to abduct an elementary school student.

Authorities in the Phoenix-area city of Glendale, Arizona tracked down Ruiz after they identified the vehicle involved in the incident. They then arrested Joseph Ruiz on suspicion of attempted kidnapping and custodial interference as reported by KPHO.

During Ruiz's court appearance, a prosecutor emphasized his history. The prosecutor said that the suspect had a "history of violence" and was convicted of an aggravated assault, among other charges.

“He was convicted of an aggravated assault, a class 3 dangerous felony, after having stabbed his mother in the neck.” The prosecutor stated.

Additional details of the alleged kidnapping and Ruiz's sentencing were yet to be revealed by Arizona police at the time of writing this article.