CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Detectives in east Charlotte said an argument over cell phone pictures led to a man threatening a woman with a handgun and speeding away with the victim's daughter Monday afternoon.
According to CMPD, the victim was waiting for her 7-year-old daughter to get home from school inside her car in the 9000 block of Casa Lynda Lane. The victim's sister, as well as her boyfriend, identified as 37-year-old Jesus Rodriguez, were in another vehicle nearby. Police said the victim and Rodriguez began arguing a short time later, possibly over pictures the victim had taken of the suspect with her phone. At that time, investigators said the victim's sister got into her car.
The victim told police that Rodriguez demanded her phone and began to hit the windows of her vehicle with a handgun. She alleged that Rodriguez pointed the gun at her and threatened her with it before she drove away from the scene with her sister.
Police said after the sisters drove away, the children arrived at the home on a school bus. Rodriguez then gathered the children together and put them in his car. Investigators said Rodriguez did not kidnap the children or force them into his car by threatening them with a weapon.
The victim and her sister pulled over at a Quik Trip in the 7200 block of The Plaza and gave the phone to her sister, who got into the suspect's car. Rodriguez and the victim's sister then drove away with the children, prompting the victim to flag down CMPD officers, reporting that her daughter was kidnapped.
Police officers located the suspect's vehicle near Eastway Drive and Kilborne Drive. The male suspect refused to stop and a short chase began. A minute into the chase, the suspect stopped the car and both he and the woman's sister were detained, CMPD said. A handgun was seized from inside the car.
CMPD said the woman's child was safely located with three other children inside the vehicle. Social Services have been contacted by police to assist in the investigation.
Rodriguez was charged with assault by pointing a gun, communicating threats, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of heroin, felony fleeing to elude and driving with a revoked license.