Tale of Two Cities: Warren man kidnapped, Detroit man defends self

Jason Storey's odyssey of terror began about 10 p.m. when he was carjacked by two masked men with a gun in the parking lot of Walgreens on West Market Street. He was ordered at gunpoint to get in his 2003 Pontiac Grand Am and drive them to a local bank. They forced him to make a withdrawal from the automatic teller machine. He withdrew $10 because he only had $16 in his account.

They then locked Storey in the trunk of his car and drove around for about 45 minutes making a few stops along the way, according to Storey. During one of the stops, police said the two suspects picked up another person.

The kidnappers finally stopped the vehicle on a dead-end road off Front Street, and the assailant with the gun forced Storey to walk down the road and handcuffed both of his arms around a tree.

Storey said he was certain one of his kidnappers wanted to kill him, but the other assailant didn't want to harm him.

City police officers eventually found Storey after he was able to call 911 on his cell phone and guide them to his location. Police said if Storey had stayed there all night, the sub-freezing temperatures could have been fatal.

Shortly after finding the victim, police found the stolen car near Kenwood Drive S.W. with three people in it. Police said the occupants abandoned the car on Jefferson Street S.W. once they realized the police were tailing them.

Police arrested Michael McDonald, 18, 635 Lener Ave., and a 17-year-old male in connection with this case. A third suspect was still at large Thursday evening.

Meanwhile, in a state that allows its law-abiding citizens to carry a concealed handgun for self-defense, a different outcome resulted when this Michigan man was confronted by three assailants, one of whom was armed:

The News, Detroit, MI

Detroiter Robert Winbourn was attacked by three would-be robbers, one of whom was armed with a gun. Winbourn drew his revolver, exchanged fire with the gunman and wounded him. The other two men escaped.

• Could the lifting of Ohio's unconstitutional ban on carrying a concealed weapon for self-defense have saved this Warren car-jack, robbery & kidnap victim?

Contact information for the area's elected officials is provided below:

State House of Representatives
• >Rep. Daniel Sferra (D-64)
Phone: (614) 466-5358
Fax: (614) 644-9494

State Senate
• >Sen. Mark Dann (D-32)
Phone: (614) 466-7182

Click here to read the entire story in the Warren Tribune-Chronicle.