A New York man has been arrested after allegedly attempting to kidnap a 6-year-old boy from a busy street in Coney Island. His attempt was foiled when the child’s parents chased him down and restrained him until police arrived.
The video of incident has gone viral on social media, garnering over 187K views. It showed the parents’ quick response to the failed attempt of abduction.
The suspect, identified as 36-year-old Jonathan Robalino, has been charged with assault and attempted kidnapping. New York police have described him as “emotionally disturbed.”
The incident occurred over the Fourth of July weekend while the family was visiting Coney Island in Brooklyn. The boy, Rah'Shem Gantt, was walking with his parents when the man dressed in black allegedly picked him up and tried to flee, as reported by ABC news.
"It was scary and I didn't like it," the 6-year-old told local reporters.
His father, Roy Gantt, described the moment as scary. Explaining the incident, he said "When I turned around, I noticed a man pick him up and run by way of the boardwalk". "Once he saw us chasing him, he threw [Rah'Shem] down. It sounded like he hit his head on the concrete."
Although the child was thrown to the ground, he was not seriously injured. He was taken to a local hospital as a precaution and later released.
The boy’s parents managed to catch the suspect and hold him down until police arrived. The New York Police Department confirmed that the investigation is ongoing.
Many netizens applauded the parents bravery and their quick response to the incident.
"That's messed up, glad the family was there to stop it," one commenter wrote. "That is so frightening. What has happened to NY?" another person commented.
The video of incident has gone viral on social media, garnering over 187K views. It showed the parents’ quick response to the failed attempt of abduction.
NEW: New York man tries kidnapping a 6-year-old child off the street in New York City.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 12, 2025
Rah'Shem Gantt and his parents were looking for some popcorn when a man dressed in black snatched him and tried leaving with him.
The boy’s mother and father chased the man down and pinned… pic.twitter.com/WGwgQXxccZ
The suspect, identified as 36-year-old Jonathan Robalino, has been charged with assault and attempted kidnapping. New York police have described him as “emotionally disturbed.”
The incident occurred over the Fourth of July weekend while the family was visiting Coney Island in Brooklyn. The boy, Rah'Shem Gantt, was walking with his parents when the man dressed in black allegedly picked him up and tried to flee, as reported by ABC news.
"It was scary and I didn't like it," the 6-year-old told local reporters.
His father, Roy Gantt, described the moment as scary. Explaining the incident, he said "When I turned around, I noticed a man pick him up and run by way of the boardwalk". "Once he saw us chasing him, he threw [Rah'Shem] down. It sounded like he hit his head on the concrete."
Although the child was thrown to the ground, he was not seriously injured. He was taken to a local hospital as a precaution and later released.
The boy’s parents managed to catch the suspect and hold him down until police arrived. The New York Police Department confirmed that the investigation is ongoing.
Many netizens applauded the parents bravery and their quick response to the incident.
"That's messed up, glad the family was there to stop it," one commenter wrote. "That is so frightening. What has happened to NY?" another person commented.
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