SHELBY TOWNSHIP, MI – On a chilling Wednesday evening, a 24-year-old Michigan man was discovered bound and severely injured inside his vehicle, following a shocking kidnapping in the parking lot of a popular Lifetime Fitness gym.
Shelby Township Police were alerted to the kidnapping around 7:15 p.m. Monday, triggering an expansive manhunt that involved multiple law enforcement agencies. The pursuit reached a climax when officers spotted the suspect’s vehicle at the victim’s residence. As they closed in, a dramatic car chase ensued, culminating in the suspect crashing his vehicle.
The alleged perpetrator, 33-year-old Antonio Andujar-Ruiz of Tampa, Florida, made a desperate attempt to escape on foot but was swiftly apprehended. His rap sheet paints a troubling picture, spotlighting an “extensive violent criminal history,” which includes an unsettling conviction for assault with intent to murder.
Digging deeper, detectives are of the belief that Andujar-Ruiz traveled to Michigan with the sole purpose of executing this violent act. The meticulousness and sheer brutality of the crime have led authorities to conclude that the attack was not random. The suspect now faces a slew of charges, from carjacking to torture and first-degree home invasion.
Expressing gratitude for the collective effort of multiple agencies, Shelby Township Police Chief Robert Shelide lamented, “Our flawed justice system once again released a career violent criminal, granting him the chance to perpetrate such heinous acts.”