A person suspected of kidnapping his niece and nephew, with plans to take them to “heaven,” was arrested by Upland police, authorities stated.
Police recognized the alleged kidnapper as 34-year-old Vartan Gurunian. The youngsters have been discovered unhurt.
The Police Division stated in a Fb submit that it obtained a name for help from the L.A. County Sheriff’s Temple Station a couple of man suspected of kidnapping his niece and nephew from their house.
The mom of the youngsters, ages 4 and 6, informed sheriff’s deputies that her brother was unstable and feared he would hurt them, the social media submit stated.
Sooner or later, an Upland police officer noticed the person’s four-door silver sedan at Foothill Boulevard and Dewey Approach and tried to conduct a site visitors cease. Police stated the person led officers on a brief automobile chase earlier than they have been capable of pin him down in a shopping mall car parking zone.
“On the conclusion of the pursuit, the suspect was taken into custody and spontaneously said that he wished to take the youngsters to heaven,” the police assertion stated. “The youngsters have been unhurt, nonetheless, they have been taken to the hospital as a precaution.”
Upland police posted an edited video on the social platform X that included a clip from an officer’s physique cam that confirmed the second the officer caught up with the suspect. It additionally included nonetheless photographs of the suspect being positioned in handcuffs in addition to the blurred faces of two children sitting within the again seat of the silver sedan. Not less than one picture reveals an officer strolling within the hospital with two Completely satisfied Meals.