Stranger grabs 7-year-old girl in front of her dad, igniting brawl, NC cops say

A family stroll through a popular historic district turned into a street brawl when a stranger grabbed their 7-year-old and held her to the ground, according to police in eastern North Carolina.

The incident happened around 5:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 2, on North Front Street in downtown Wilmington, and a passerby helped the girl’s father fight off the man, Wilmington police said in a Jan. 5 news release.

“Upon arrival, officers observed a male suspect, later identified as Daniel Jason Summers, being held down by another man,” police said.

“Investigators learned that Summers had grabbed a 7-year-old girl, forced her to the ground, and refused to let go. As the father attempted to pull the suspect off his daughter, a nearby man intervened to assist. During the struggle, the child was able to crawl away to safety.”

Court documents report the girl was terrorized when 44-year-old Summers wrapped both arms around her and refused to let go.

He was arrested “without further incident” and is being held without bond, officials said.

Summers is charged with second degree kidnapping, assault on a child under age 12, and resisting/delaying/obstructing public officers, officials said. He lives in nearby Wrightsville Beach, records show.

Details of a motive have not been released.

Wilmington is on the Cape Fear River, about a 130-mile drive southeast from downtown Raleigh.