Police have arrested a man in connection with a double kidnapping in Midlothian last week, but two other suspects are still at large.
Noah Solomon Gulzar, 20, was charged with aggravated kidnapping and organized criminal activity after participating in the abduction of a 72-year-old male and a 68-year-old female, according to Fox 4 KDFW.
The incident began at the victims’ home in the 5000 block of Vernon Point, where the three suspects allegedly abducted the elderly couple at gunpoint. Upon taking them to a short-term rental in DeSoto, the three men purportedly tied up their victims and tried to access their bank accounts online.
Several hours later, two of the men reportedly left the short-term rental. Seizing the opportunity, the two victims loosened their restraints and were able to grab a kitchen knife.
“They were very lucky to be able to get free. They were both tied with ropes. The male was able to get free and assist his wife in getting free,” Midlothian Police Department Assistant Chief Scott Brown said, per Fox 4. “They were able to get a knife from the kitchen of the location where they were taken and use the knife to help facilitate their escape.”
Police reportedly said Gulzar and the couple knew each other from a previous business deal. The investigation into the kidnapping is still ongoing, and more charges may be added.
In Dallas, an incident during which victims were restrained as part of an alleged robbery resulted in one death earlier this month.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, a woman who had been renting a room in a home in South Dallas allegedly tied up and robbed three other residents with a gun-wielding male accomplice. The surviving victims said the male suspect shot at them before leaving in one of their vehicles, killing one person and injuring another.
Citywide in Dallas, there have been 1,858 robberies logged this year as of October 12, according to the City of Dallas crime analytics dashboard. Efforts to fight crime have been hindered by police being understaffed for some years. DPD currently operates with fewer than 3,200 officers despite a City analysis previously advising that some 4,000 are needed to properly maintain public safety.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Downtown Dallas has been bearing the brunt of the police shortage, logging much higher crime rates than Fort Worth’s downtown area, which is reportedly patrolled by a special police unit and private security officers.