SHELBY TOWNSHIP, MI – A horrific kidnapping incident unfolded at a Lifetime Fitness parking lot, leaving a 24-year-old Michigan man bound and injured inside his car. The Shelby Township Police Department revealed that the victim had been abducted by four armed and masked individuals in the gym parking lot. The distressing event came to light at 7:15 p.m. on a Monday night, triggering a swift and extensive investigation to locate the victim.
Cooperation with the Sterling Heights Police Department played a pivotal role in the case. Officers discovered the suspect’s car at the victim’s residence, with one person inside. A brief pursuit ensued, culminating in the suspect’s car crashing. Despite an attempt to flee on foot, the suspect was apprehended by a police officer.
Inside the victim’s GMC pickup truck, law enforcement made a shocking discovery: the victim was bound and had endured torture. Additionally, they found the suspect’s assault rifle. The alleged perpetrator, 33-year-old Antonio Andujar-Ruiz from Tampa, Florida, possesses an extensive history of violent crimes, including a prior conviction for assault with intent to murder.
Detectives believe that Andujar-Ruiz had traveled to Michigan with the sole intent of committing this heinous act. The police stated that this incident does not appear to be a random act of violence. As a result, Antonio Andujar-Ruiz now faces a litany of charges, including carjacking, conspiracy to commit carjacking, weapons offenses, robbery, torture, unlawful imprisonment, and home invasion.
The Shelby Township Police Department revealed that multiple federal agencies participated in the investigation. Shelby Township Police Chief Robert Shelide expressed gratitude for the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies and commended the investigative team for their tenacity and prompt response.
“This was preventable,” Chief Shelide emphasized, alluding to the suspect’s prior criminal record and release by the justice system.