10-Year-Old Victim Found, But Armed Kidnappers Still At Large

Nicholas Fierros Jr., a Dallas 10-year-old kidnapped during an apparent home invasion Monday afternoon in Dallas, is "physically fine," Dallas police said Tuesday afternoon. A couple found Fierros after several hours and identified him from photos distributed by Dallas police, Assistant Police Chief Randy Blankenbaker said. 

The three men who abducted Fierros are still at large.

Around 12:30 p.m. Monday, three armed men broke into a home in east Oak Cliff, ordered it's occupants to the ground and demanded cash. One of the children in the home called 911, police say, before the men left the house with Nicholas in the trunk of their car.

Initially, Dallas Police could not say whether the family had been targeted or if the kidnapping had been some kind of a fake. On Tuesday, they began to answer those questions. "We've been asked several times today if we believe this kidnapping was a hoax. At this time in our investigation, we do not believe that to be the case," Blankenbaker said.

The assistant chief confirmed the alleged kidnappers' cash demands and said that it appears the attackers targeted the Fierros' family. Dallas residents should not be worried, Blankenbaker said, about "a crew of home invasion suspects [that] are randomly breaking into homes and taking children."

"Statements attributed to the suspects by the victim and his family indicate that the suspects specifically targeted" the home, Blakenbaker said before declining to elaborate because of the ongoing investigation.

He said that the department is looking into text messages and a phone call demanding money that Fierros' family said the kidnappers made after leaving the house.

Fierros was found almost five miles from his house at around 7:15 p.m. Monday by a couple that had seen his photo on the news, Blankenbaker said. Anyone with any information that could help Dallas Police find Fierros' kidnappers is asked to call 214-671-4268.