A botched abduction near an East Lansing arcade Saturday morning left a Clawson man with a stab wound to his head and a Lansing resident in jail on charges of assault with intent to rob while armed, felonious assault and kidnapping, the Livingston County Sheriff’s Department said.
Police believe Mourad El-Manar, 19, approached the 20-year-old victim outside Pinball Pete’s, 220 Albert Ave., at about 1:30 a.m. Saturday. The victim was then believed to be forced into a vehicle at gunpoint, although he did not see a gun, police said. The victim, who had no university affiliation, was participating in a Dance Dance Revolution tournament at the arcade.
El-Manar then ordered the man to withdraw money from a nearby ATM, but the victim’s bank account was empty, Livingston County Sheriff Bob Bezotte said. The suspect told the victim to drive to an ATM near Fowlerville, where he would take money from the victim’s aunt’s account.
On the way, El-Manar and the victim pulled over and fought over a dropped knife. The victim was stabbed in the head but managed to escape from the car and call police.
Officers made contact with El-Manar at a local gas station, where he was arrested.
The victim was treated and released from a local hospital for the head wound.
Bezotte said the suspect told police he was attacked Saturday morning, but his story didn’t check out with the sheriff’s department.
“We’ve still got some work to do on it,” Bezotte said. “Our victim is very believable and we believe this is the victim.”
East Lansing police are expected to review surveillance video from the local ATM and Pinball Pete’s in coming days, Bezotte said.
Information regarding El-Manar’s arraignment at the 53rd District Court in Howell was not available Monday evening.
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