Abducted Florida Teen Found Safe

13-Year-Old Taken At Gunpoint Is Now In Police Custody; Suspect At Large

(CBS/AP)  A Tampa Bay-area teen who was abducted by a gunman while waiting at a school bus stop has been found with only minor scratches, but the suspect is still missing.

The Manatee County Sheriff says 13-year-old Clay Moore was kidnapped shortly before 9 a.m. Friday while on the street in Parrish.

The sheriff says the boy is now with deputies and has only minor scratches. It's not clear how he got them.

Manatee County Sheriff Charlie Wells said Moore was abducted at gunpoint while waiting with about 13-14 other students for a bus to take him to Manatee School of the Arts.

The witnesses described the kidnapper as a Hispanic male or a man with a dark tan about 5-foot-6 tall and roughly 30 years old, driving an extended cab pickup truck. A Sheriff's Office spokesman said it appeared to have been a random kidnapping, and that Moore just happened to be standing closest to the vehicle.

He was driving an older model, red or maroon, extended-cab pick-up truck. The suspect should be considered armed and dangerous, CBS News Tampa affiliate WTSP reports.

Nikki Conley, Moore's mother, said the assailant was waving a gun at her son as he got out of his truck.

"I guess Clay didn't move as fast, or was kind of standing around," and was ordered to get in the truck. "So he wound up getting in the truck and he was upset and saying, 'What's going on? What did I do?'"

Wells said he didn't yet know whether the boy was freed or had escaped.

Parrish, about 30 miles southeast of St. Petersburg, has seen explosive growth in recent years but still has many rural areas. The bus stop where the abduction occurred was at the entrance to a subdivision of newer, contemporary homes off a rural road in eastern Manatee County.

The sheriff says Clay was found walking on a farm or a ranch about 20 miles away. Someone saw him and let him use a cell phone.

[hermit22]

Prayer to God about kidnappers. Psalm 109

psalm 109:5 They reward me evil for good and hatred for my friendship. (often they lure children who are good enough to "help' find a pet etc. then the child ends up in the trap.)

Psalm 109:6 May the leader of this TREACHEROUS group be called before a judge who knows no mercy, to be tried for what he has done...." (was this guy trying to pick up a kid for resale to the TREACHEROUS group of human traffickers?)

Prayer and praise to God: Psalm 109:30:31 "Then I will praise you so heartily that everyone in the entire congregation can hear me. 31. I will tell them how you stand beside the needy and SAVE YOUR CHILDREN from the murderous hand of those who would condemn them."

[effit12]

I lived there before. Very strange people and they are all messed up. Noone ever knows much about anyone because they all move around too much. Would never live there again. Florida sucks.

[thornechelle]

His photo was posted in hopes of someone recognizing him when he was abducted. His rights are not being violated. Thank the gods he was able to get away.

[bks59]

why is the photograph of victomized teenager being shown nationnwide?

[vamommyof3]

My oldest son lives with my parents down there in Parish and he was at the bus stop with Clay. It's disheartening that someone would just take a child like that, but we're glad he wasn't harmed and the none of the other kids were either.

Our prayers have been out with him and his family since I got the phone call this morning about it.

[edjohn66]

It's Beck Hansen!

Thank God he is OK.

[santo_marco]

Thank God he's safe.

[michaure]

anyone notice that this sort of thing happens a lot in florida? I understand it happens everywhere but mostly in florida... must be in the water or something.