A Baltimore father is speaking out after he and his 8-year-old son were targeted in an attempted carjacking by a group of juveniles in the Federal Hill neighborhood over the St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Surveillance footage obtained by FOX45 News shows the chilling incident unfold on Wheeling Street near Light Street just after 6 pm.
In the video, four suspects can be seen surrounding the father’s car, with one repeatedly yelling at them to “Get the F*** out.” One of the suspects then punches the father in the face. The father, who wished to be identified only as Val, recounted the harrowing ordeal, “They had a whole scheme going. One had my keys. The other one sucker punched me twice.”
Fearing for his son’s safety, Val’s fatherly instincts kicked in. “Your fatherhood instincts kick in to protect your child,” he said. With the key fob still in his possession, he started the car and hit the gas, causing the suspects to flee.
Baltimore Police were called to the scene, and with the help of Foxtrot investigators, three teenagers aged 16, 15, and 13 were apprehended about a mile away and taken into custody. Authorities determined the 13-year-old was not involved in the attempted carjacking, while the other two teens were transported to the juvenile justice center and processed, though the exact consequences they may face remain unclear.
Visibly shaken, Val expressed his frustration with the juvenile crime crisis in Baltimore. “Something must be done. They can’t just be committing crimes and getting slapped on the wrist and go on. It’s a problem. It’s a big problem,” he said.
While grateful that he and his son were uninjured, Val believes more needs to be done to address this issue. “Where are the parents? They should be held accountable. If they aren’t held accountable, more of this is going to happen. It shows a wrong message that this is okay. It’s not,” he emphasized.
The incident has left a lasting impact on the family, who were simply trying to find parking near their home when they were targeted by the group of juveniles in a brazen attempted carjacking.