Five people have been arrested after a chaotic kidnapping in South Florida spiraled into a multi-city police chase and dramatic takedown.
The incident began around 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 15, inside a McDonald’s in Davie, just outside Fort Lauderdale. According to police, a group of suspects confronted a man inside the restaurant, snatched his phone, and ordered him to get into their vehicle if he wanted it back.
Officers say the group drove the victim to the 700 block of Northwest 9th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale, where they forced him out of the vehicle and assaulted him. The victim managed to escape, flag down a passerby, and call 911 — telling dispatchers he had been kidnapped.
Police departments from Davie, Fort Lauderdale, and the Broward Sheriff’s Office quickly jumped into action. Using GPS data from the victim’s phone, officers located the suspects’ vehicle and pursued it to Pompano Beach. A white SUV believed to be involved was captured on video crashing into a pole as officers closed in, after which the suspects fled on foot.
Footage from the scene showed armed officers swarming an apartment complex near the crash site as the search intensified.
Three adults — 30-year-old Tracey Ross, 18-year-old Lamar Perry, and 18-year-old Timothy Brown — were arrested. Two minors were also taken into custody and taken to the county’s juvenile assessment center.
According to CBS Miami, Ross faces charges including kidnapping, inflicting bodily harm or terrorizing a victim, high-speed fleeing, and resisting an officer. Perry is charged with kidnapping, inflicting bodily harm or terrorizing a victim, grand theft of a motor vehicle, resisting an officer, burglary, and possession of a firearm by a minor. Brown faces kidnapping and bodily harm charges, though his exact role in the incident is still being investigated.
Several family members spoke in court, including Brown’s mother, who told reporters she was stunned by the allegations.
“I’ve never seen my son get in trouble or do anything like this,” she said. “I don’t know who he was with or what happened. I’m still in shock.”
Glad they are caught