A group of middle school students in Maryland reportedly saved one of their fellow students from being kidnapped by a man at a bus stop. The students were waiting at a school bus stop in Gaithersburg, Maryland, which is near Washington, DC, on Monday morning when a man grabbed one of the students and tried to drag the youth toward an apartment complex. Fellow students intervened, according to Montgomery police, per USA Today.
The incident was reported to staff at Redland Middle School after students boarded the bus. A 31-year-old man was arrested by police in connection with the attempted kidnapping, which took place about 20 miles from Washington.
More from CafeMom: Girls avoid kidnapping, thanks to 'code word'
A suspect has been apprehended and faces charges as the investigation continues.
Thirty-one-year-old Jaamal Germany was arrested in connection with the attempted kidnapping and charged with second degree assault, reported USA Today.
“Through the course of the investigation, detectives identified Germany as the suspect. He was arrested and transported to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit," the Montgomery County Police Department noted, according to Good Morning America via Yahoo! News. "Bond information is not available at this time."
The Special Victims Investigation Division’s detectives are asking for anyone else who may have been a victim of the suspect to call 240-773-5400.
This is not the suspect's first attempt at kidnapping, according to local residents.
Several residents who live near the bus stop spoke out anonymously about Germany’s actions. “I have a high school student, and she catches the bus early in the morning, and apparently he was at the bus stop last week doing the same thing," one neighbor said anonymously, per 7 News.
Several other residents near the bus stop who also wished to remain anonymous said Germany reportedly tried kicking in their doors and had yelled at them in the past few days, according to 7 News.
More from CafeMom:Video shows the shocking reality of how quickly child abduction can actually happen
Redland Middle School has responded to the incident.
Principals at three area schools, including Redland Middle School, sent a letter to parents afterward informing them that the student was not injured. Additionally, the letter stated school officials would increase security at the bus stop the next few days, per USA Today.
The letter also explained that emotional support would be provided to students following the incident.
"We are grateful for the quick action of our students. Knowing that this may have been alarming for some of our students, we are providing social emotional support to all of the students who were at the bus stop and may have witnessed this," the statement read, USA Today reported.
Readers applauded the brave students for reacting differently than older generations would have.
A Yahoo! News article covering the story had readers applauding the bravery of the children, specifically for not pulling out their phones to record what was happening but to actually step in to help instead.
“At least the other kids didn't stand there with their phones recording it, they did the right thing. VERY brave and smart on their part," one person wrote in the comments section. "A class apart from what people usually do which is record everything instead of helping or calling for help, and in many instances, enjoy the scenario. They should be rewarded."
“Glad those kids helped out instead of just taking out their phones to record like most adults would have done!” another reader wrote.
