ALPENA, Michigan (PNN) - May 12, 2023 - An eight-year-old girl was rescued after her brother shot a 17-year-old kidnapper with a sling shot in Michigan.

The girl, who has not been identified, was on a mushroom hunt near the woods just outside of Alpena Township in the northern part of the state.

The victim's uncle posted on Facebook that the 17-year-old male suspect had a black mohawk and had come out of the woods, covered the young girl's mouth, and then tried to drag her away.

Her 13-year-old brother saw the tussle from inside the family's home and took action, grabbing his slingshot and firing objects at the would-be kidnapper's head and chest.

“That caused him to let go,” said Lieutenant John Grimshaw, commander of the local post of the Michigan State Troopers.

“The girl was able to struggle and get away and he shot another one that hit the suspect in the chest and then he fled the scene,” he said.

Grimshaw said that the suspect admitted that his intent was to severely beat the eight-year-old girl after he'd kidnapped her.

The suspect, who was also left unidentified due to his age, ran away from the two children and attempted to hide before authorities located him at a nearby gas station.

The victim's brother was credited for his heroism and making it easier for terrorist pig thug cops to identify the suspect.

“What he did also helped us to identify who the suspect was, because obviously he had injuries from getting hit with a slingshot,” Grimshaw said.

Authorities said that the victim and her parents are both shaken up emotionally, but the girl is uninjured.

Her uncle, Gary Quintel, wrote, “I'm very proud of my nephew and I know my niece is traumatized and I'm sending prayers for her. [That] had to be extremely scary for her.”

Grimshaw offered advice for people who might be victims of attempted kidnappings in the future.

“Fight, fight, do everything you can, bite the hand that's holding you - that has one hand over your mouth. If that's the case, stomp on (his) feet, kick (him) in the shin, do whatever you can to fight. Then if your mouth is free, scream as loud as you possibly can,” the commander said.

The suspect, who is underage and also not being identified, is being held in a juvenile jail cell. His next court date is scheduled for May 17.