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Man arrested in attempted kidnapping, threatened shooting

Posted at 3:12 PM, Jun 02, 2014
and last updated 2014-06-02 20:57:25-04

SALT LAKE CITY -- Police have arrested a man accused of attempting to kidnap a 3-year-old boy and threatening to shoot those who intervened.

It happened Saturday night near 400 N. Pamela Way as children were playing outside. Salt Lake City police said 32-year-old Jasper Black pulled up to the curb and tried to entice the boy into his car.

The boy's mother, who did not want her named used, told FOX 13 that other people in the neighborhood saw it happen.

"He wouldn't go to him," she said of her son. "That's when a family friend asked him to leave. He (Black) got very upset. He eventually pulled out and kept coming back and forth and back and forth. So far that, we called the police. At one point, he stopped and said he had a gun, he was in a gang."

Police said Black told people he had a gun and was going to shoot them.

"It's scary because there's a lot of kids that play around here," the boy's mother said.

Salt Lake City Police Officer Greg Wilking said officers responded within minutes.

"Once they pulled him over, they realized that he was intoxicated and the vehicle was stolen," he told FOX 13.

Black was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on suspicion of attempted child kidnapping, aggravated assault, possession of a stolen vehicle and DUI.