Clay Moore 13 - Abducted At Gunpoint

This appears to be one of those crimes that just makes one shudder in disbelief. For now, it isn't being reported as a family issue where a parent takes a child. It seems Clay Moore was at a bus stop with over a dozen other children when a man, said to have been armed, pulled up and took him.

Police claim to be all over the area - let's hope they turn something up quickly.

link The Manatee County Sheriff's Office and The Florida Department Of Law Enforcement have issued an Amber Alert for Clay Moore (13). According to Manatee County Sheriff's deputies, children waiting for the bus at Douglas Hill Place and Old Tampa Road say a man drove up to the group, grabbed Clay, put him in the truck and drove off.

Some of the children say the man had a gun. Investigators say that this appears to be a random kidnapping, and Clay did not know his kidnapper. The man who took the boy is described as a Hispanic male, driving an older, red extended-cab pick-up truck. The suspect is considered Armed & Dangerous.

more here

According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the child is identified as 13-year-old Clay Moore. He is white, five feet tall, and 100 pounds with brown, blond hair to his shoulders.

Witnesses described the armed kidnapper as a Hispanic male, 30 years old, with short hair, who was driving an older, red extended-cab truck.

Officials say Moore was wearing a black jacket with MSA on it, khaki pants, carrying a red backpack.  He has a birthmark between his eyes that shows up darker when he's angry.

Officials say there were probably 14 or 15 children at the bus stop where the kidnapping took place.

Dave Bristow, with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, described the incident as “horrific” because so many other children were witnesses, and it appears to be a random kidnapping.

Manatee Sheriff Charlie Wells said Clay Moore was at the wrong spot at the wrong time when the kidnapper pulled up.

“He happened to be the closest child,” Wells said.

Wells said the Sheriff’s office is doing everything it can to find Clay.

“I just wanna get this young man home,” he said.

There are numerous law enforcement officers swarming the area, and a command post has been set up.

Comments

[Jeff]

It doesn't make sense... I'm afraid stories like this tend to not work out well, but my prayers are with the child and his family.

Doesn't this make the death penalty make sense?

[Jeff]

Thank God, they found him.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,254058,00.html

[scarshapedstar]

Where the white women at?!

[Dillon]

I know this kid, hes in my math class. Hes a good person, thank god they found him. Everyone knew what happened 1st period and by 3rd period everyone knew he was found. It was really confusing, alot of people were crying. If Clay knew how today went in school, right now, he'd be amazed how big this was in school.

[Phoenix]

Dillon,

I'm really glad for you and your classmates. I'm sure it was a rough time for you all. No doubt it will help Clay immensely to know all his buddies were with him in thought, and this will help him recover. Good luck!

[Elise Forbes]

I've worked as a Social Worker in the prison system with Sexuall Offenders. I currently work in the courts. These predators do not stop. They have to be stopped permenately. I was never a death penalty supporter until I worked with these incredibly sick..not crazy...predtrators.Life in prison at least???? As a nation, aren't we sick of this yet? You can't imagine who is at the mall sitting near the Santa/ Winter Wonderland display getting stimulated while your chilren recite X-Mas lists. Yes, I bumped into a "client" chatting on his cell phone across from the set-up over the holidays...Didn't recognize him without the prison issued jumpsuit on...a business suit tends to throw people off a little anyway....Talk to your friends, family and co-workers about this. I don't know exactly what to do but support of life in prison for these offenders won't stop others from murdering, raping, molseting and mutilating our nations children...but, each time it will be one less predator WE ALLOW to do this.

[Phoenix]

Elise,

I'm just one female. I have four stories of men who exposed themselves to me. They didn't try to kidnap me or anything - I was in my twenties when the last three happened, eleven at the first, but they still stalked me in order to do it. That's bad enough, but what you're talking about is so out there scary that life in prison is the only thing. Or emasculation. Or both.

[seekeronos]

Death is the only cure for this kind of predator. Preferably a public hanging or a stoning.

Stones are pretty cheap, for that matter.

[Purple Avenger]

Followed up by gibbeting. Really is a shame gibbeting has fallen by the wayside. Sometimes examples need to be made.

[Darcooks]

I live not far from where Clay was taken. I was sick until the news said he was found and OK. We have a problem. The day before another man attempted to abduct an 11 year old girl in Sarasota, about 15 miles away from where Clay was abducted. Thankfully she was able to escape and run, the Sarasota police have arrested the man who they believe tried to abduct her. Charlie Wells, the Manatee Couunty Chief is a wonderful man and lives not far from where Clay was abducted. I know he will do everything in his power to find the perv. I hope they select me for the jury!

[scarshapedstar]

"I hope they select me for the jury!"

Haha, I'm sure the defense would love to have that quote in Voir Dire. By the way... you really ought to brush up on what the justice system is all about.