Bridgeport kidnapping suspect known to police

BRIDGEPORT — An Orchard Street woman who police say was briefly kidnapped Friday morning by her estranged boyfriend had been working with police to get him arrested in connection with a previous incident.

Police Chief Armando Perez said the woman was kidnapped by the man at gunpoint on Monday, in front of her children.

“Thankfully, no one was hurt,” Perez said.

The suspect’s identity and the charges were not immediately available Friday afternoon. Police said they were working with the ex-girlfriend and were also in the process of get- ting an arrest warrant for the suspect for an earlier incident prior to the kidnapping.

According to a statement from police, the woman was “allegedly forced into a vehicle by an estranged boyfriend and taken from the scene” while dropping a child off at Madison school Friday morning. Reports indicate it happened around 8 a.m.

“Witnesses immediately contacted police and detectives and school resource officers worked together to gather information and locate the victim and offender,” police said.

Bridgeport police were prepared to initiate a Silver Alert for the victim when the suspect’s vehicle was found by Norwalk police and Connecticut State Police on Interstate 95 in Norwalk, headed south.

“The offender was taken into custody without incident in Stamford and the victim was found unharmed in the vehicle,” police said.

Stamford Police Capt. Richard Conklin said Stamford police and other agencies joined the chase as it continued down I-95 until hitting some traffic. Conklin said the driver pulled over near Exit 6 on the city’s West Side after realizing escape was futile in I-95 traffic.

“For once, traffic was a blessing,” Conklin said.