Man kidnapped from Michigan gym was tortured, prosecutors say. Man from Florida charged
A man from Florida was charged with 12 felony counts after he was accused of carjacking a man outside a Michigan fitness center, then kidnapping and torturing him, prosecutors said.
A 24-year-old man was outside the Lifetime Fitness in Shelby Township on Oct. 23 when he was approached by four individuals, according to news releases from the Sterling Heights Police Department and Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office.
One of the individuals was identified as Angel Antonio Andujar-Ruiz, 38, of Tampa, Florida, prosecutors said.
The group carjacked the 24-year-old, tied him up and put him in his Black GMC pickup truck, police said.
“The suspects allegedly tortured the victim, drove the victim to his house, and entered the residence,” prosecutors said.
Police searching for the abducted man arrived at his home and Andujar-Ruiz got back into the GMC with the 24-year-old before driving off.
What followed was a high-speed chase through neighborhoods, police said.
A video of the chase was shared by the police department on Facebook on Oct. 24.
Andujar-Ruiz crashed the vehicle and tried to run before he was Tased and taken into custody.
On Oct. 24, the prosecutor’s office announced Andujar-Ruiz had been charged with 12 felony counts:
- carjacking
- conspiracy carjacking
- armed robbery
- conspiracy armed robbery
- torture
- home invasion in the first degree
- conspiracy home invasion in the first degree
- unlawful imprisonment
- conspiracy unlawful imprisonment
- three counts of firearm possession
The other three individuals involved were not identified and have not been taken into custody as of Oct. 26.
Officials did not release the relationship between Andujar-Ruiz and the 24-year-old or why Andujar-Ruiz was in Michigan, but said they do not believe the abduction was random.
The 24-year-old suffered non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
“The severity of this crime cannot be understated, and it is imperative that we work together to ensure justice prevails,” Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido said in an Oct. 25 news release.
Shelby Township is about 30 miles north of Detroit.
This story was originally published October 26, 2023 at 12:10 PM with the headline "Man kidnapped from Michigan gym was tortured, prosecutors say. Man from Florida charged."
