Iowa Teen Uses Self-Defense Moves to Fight Off Kidnapper

A teenager in Scott County, Iowa, fought off an abductor using self-defense moves taught to him by his parents.

According to WQAD, Hunter Gress, 15, was biking back home from work on Friday at 9:30 p.m. when a man in a van crossed into the path of his bike. The man grabbed his arm and attempted to pull him inside the van, police said.

Gress fought off his would-be kidnapper by punching him in the nose and the stomach, before running away.

As WQAD reports, the suspect is described as a white male in his forties. He wore sunglasses, a black baseball cap, a blue shirt and blue jeans. He was driving a silver Ford commercial van with no rear windows.

Hunter’s mother, Heather, and her boyfriend began teaching the kids about self-defense following another incident which happened last year in the same town.

“We sat down with all three kids and my other half, Shawn, he started talking to the kids about self defense and started showing them self defense moves,” said Gress.

Heather and Shawn teach self-defense moves weekly to their children. She credits her son with using that to defend himself and possibly save his own life.

If anybody has any information about the attempted kidnapping, please contact Sergeant Ryan Lage with the Scott County Sheriff’s Department at (563) 326-8270.