PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (WSVN) — Authorities have arrested a man who was caught on camera dragging an elderly woman away outside a church in Port St. Lucie, accused of trying to abduct her.
Investigators believe that if it weren’t for witnesses in the area, the assailant might have gotten away with it.
The suspect, identified as Jose Zamora, faces a slew of charges, including attempted kidnapping with a firearm.
Police said the target was his 74-year-old ex-girlfriend.
Surveillance video captured the moment investigators said Zamora tried to force the victim into a vehicle.
Port St. Lucie Police Chief Leo Niemzyck said the incident happened Sunday morning outside of the First United Methodist Church of Port St. Lucie.
Investigators said Zamora wanted to talk to the victim before he pulled a gun and tried to force her into his car.
“Suspect did remove a firearm and placed it at the victim’s side and tried to force her into the vehicle,” said Niemzyck.
The police chief said witnesses stepped in.
“Several witnesses witnessed what was going on and intervened. The courage that they displayed helped disarm a very dangerous escalating situation,” said Niemzyck.
As soon as witnesses stepped in, investigators said, Zamora fled to Hialeah.
The victim reported some pain but did not suffer any visible injuries.
Police said the woman previously lived with Zamora in Hollywood before the two moved to Fort Pierce.
Investigators said that by last December, she wanted him out of the house after he became aggressive toward her.
“They had a prior romantic relationship which had ended, and it ended allegedly to some infidelities, but he has a significant violent criminal history to include past attempted kidnapping,” said Niemzyck.
Police said the victim obtained a protective injunction against Zamora in March after he was arrested on a weapons violation.
Niemzyck said the suspect’s history and the circumstances surrounding this case gave investigators reason to believe that the woman could have been in serious danger.
“He’s a convicted felon prohibited from having a firearm, and he’s got a dangerous past, so family of his believed that he was a danger to himself as well as her, actually considered he was a potential ‘suicide by cop’ suspect,” said Niemzyck.
Investigators said license plate readers helped them track Zamora to Hialeah.
He is now being held in the St. Lucie County Jail on a $750,000 bond.
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