My recollection of recent child-abduction statistics is that it’s a 94% chance that the man knows the child; it’s in the 70-ish range that it’s a custody matter.
UPDATE;
Michael Senn, a local minister, says his church owns the building occupied by Destiny Church, though it’s currently being rented by another congregation. He said while he was not on the scene when the incident happened, he spoke with several of the children a short time later.
Senn said one girl told him that the man who got on-board told most of the students to get off the bus. He then grabbed a young boy and shot the bus driver four times.
Senn said the children who got off the bus ran toward Destiny Church where they hid. “All the kids are at a safe place,” he said, though he added all of them appeared to be in shock.
Senn said he’s spoken to police, whom he says told him the child is still with the unidentified man, and they are in some sort of bunker or storm shelter. He said SWAT members are communicating with the suspect via a PVC pipe.
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley has been notified of the situation and his office says he is closely monitoring the situation. U.S. Representative Marth Roby (R-Dist.2) tweeted to her followers urging patience “as law enforcement officers do their best to get to the bottom of this...” and asked her followers to “be prayerful, lifting up those affected in prayers for comfort and healing.”
Keep checking back for additional details.
Did a search and ran across this thread with someone who knows the area:
http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message2123453/pg1
morning news said something about the driver not letting the kid get off the bus when this started, so that may be a factor? (if true)
I heard a report that the guy got on the bus saying he needed 2 children between the ages of 6 and 8.
Does not sound like he knew this child.
The police say they are in contact with him and that he’s saying that he won’t hurt the child.
I guess it depends on what his definition of hurt is.
I haven’t heard anything about the parents of the boy.
Time for the Ministry of Truth to expose the right-wing extremist culture that caused this otherwise peaceful man to commit this despicable act.