MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - New body camera footage shows Miami Beach Police officers taking down and arresting the man accused of trying to abduct a child.
The footage, obtained exclusively by 7News, captures Miami Beach Police officers arresting a man who, they say, tried to snatch the child from a CVS in front of the boy’s family, Feb. 8.
“Get on the floor! Get on the [expletive] floor! Get on the floor!” an officer is heard yelling on the video.
That man was later identified as 26-year-old Nicolas Metternich Sternaman.
According to police, the suspect grabbed the boy by the head inside the North Beach CVS, located at 7400 Collins Ave.
However, Sternaman did not get too far, as the child’s father fought him off.
The suspect is seen running off like a crazed coward moments later.
Once police arrived, bodycam footage captured the child’s parents in distress.
“Oh my goodness,” said the officer. “You OK?”
“Yes,” said the child’s mother.
Video shows the mother and child sitting in the backseat of the police vehicle as they take in what just happened.
Outside the car, officers conversed among themselves as they tried to process the evil act by Sternaman.
“Tried to steal a kid,” one officer tells another one.
“Little kid, 4-year-old walking — he’s a tourist — walking out with his family behind him, just that comes, grabs him by the head and tries to – and tries to abduct him,” said an officer.
“No way!” said another officer.
The child’s father is seen explaining to officers how his son was grabbed moments earlier inside the store.
As police canvassed the south and east of the city, they ultimately found the man and took him down, with the help of good Samaritan Deven Surajpal.
“I started chasing his [expletive],” said Surajpal.
Surajpal, a tourist from Tampa, said he chased the wannabe kidnapper while on the phone with 911 dispatchers.
Surveillance footage from inside the store shows Surajpal, in a light blue shirt, quickly jumping to action when the crime occurs.
“‘Bro! This guy is about to get away!’ So, I just ran him down,” said Surajpal. “I just saw him in the store and I started running with him.”
Surajpal said he is shocked that he witnessed the crime on the streets of Miami Beach.
“This is crazy man, broad daylight, trying to snatch the victim, just like that out of nowhere!” said Surajpal. “You can’t let him get away doing that! Abduction? Oh, my gosh! What if he would’ve got the baby? What would’ve happened then?”
Sternaman would go on to be parked in jail, where he remains, after his bond was denied.
He appeared in court on Tuesday regarding his mental fitness to stand trial.
“You are presumed to be competent to go forward,” said Miami-Dade Circuit Judge David H. Young.
Another hearing was scheduled in this case of the chilling crime of an attempted abduction.
“Take a seat,” Young said.
Sternaman is charged with aggravated kidnapping of a child under the age of 13 and battery. He has another hearing scheduled for next week.
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