Montgomery County police arrested a man for allegedly attempting to kidnap a child from a bus stop early Monday morning.
It happened at around 7:30 a.m. on Towne Crest Drive in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Authorities said Jamaal Germany, 30, grabbed a middle school student waiting for the bus to school and pulled them toward an apartment building.
Several other students at the bus stop intervened, and the child was able to break free.
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When the bus arrived, the students boarded the bus and reported the incident to staff when they reached Redland Middle School.
A neighbor who is the parent of a high school student and did not want to be identified said something like this has happened before.
“Apparently he was at the bus stop last week doing the same thing,” the parent said.
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Another resident said they were confronted, harassed and even threatened by that same person just days ago.
After the victim at the school bus stop reported the incident, detectives identified German as the suspect and arrested him less than an hour later. Detectives are asking any other possible victims to come forward.
It’s all shocking and troubling to people who live in the area, whether they have kids that ride the bus or not.
“How’re they supposed to grow up here if they know they gotta look over their shoulder every five seconds?” neighbor Adrian Manis asked.
A letter went out to parents of Redland Middle School, Resnik Elementary School and Magruder High School students. It said there will be increased police presence for the next couple of days at the stop where the attempted abduction happened.
There will also be emotional support for students who may have witnessed the incident, or may be traumatized by the news of what happened.
School officials were grateful for the quick arrest and the quick actions of the students at bus stop.
"I'm glad that he got caught and it's very brave children that helped their fellow classmate," neighbor Cindy Maldonado said.
