Wayne Elementary School in Detroit (Credit: myFOXDetroit.com)
DETROIT (myFOXDetroit.com) -
Lawrence Snyder knew something was wrong the second he spotted the child walking down the street.
"I (saw) the little boy walking up the street with his hands behind his back and he had no pants on. He had no shoes on," Snyder said. "His hands taped behind his back."
The fifth grader, who attends Wayne Elementary School, told police someone was banging on one of the school's doors. He answered and that's when he was grabbed by two men who forced him behind an east side Detroit house on Lakepointe and raped him.
They reportedly took off in a green pickup truck, and the alleged victim went to get help. Snyder called police and the teen's family.
"The parents got here before the police got here, and the little boy, he's all messed up, and I'm just like, okay, who does that now? This is what Detroit (is) coming to now."
The 13-year-old, who lived just a block away, was taken to St. John Hospital. Police started interviewing neighbors and searching for the crime scene. A detective told Fox 2's Taryn Asher the boy claimed it happened by a clubhouse and his shoes would still be there. Police couldn't find the scene, but we did right across the street from the school behind a woman's house.
"Oh my god, my heart just dropped. My heart dropped. That kid, his life is going to change forever. I've been a victim of rape. It never leaves you ever," said Shanita Jones, who lives in the home.
"I went to the school and (I) asked them... 'Do (you) know it was a little kid that was pulled from here and was raped? Do (you) have surveillance cameras on your doors?' And they told me that (they) do, but (they're) (broken). Are you serious?" said Snyder.
"It's crazy because why isn't security or anybody at these doors for these kids? Why should it be a student that has to open the door?" said Donyale Oliver, the alleged victim's aunt.
His family is stunned, once believing a school is one of the safest places for kids to be. Concerned relatives who got the frantic call returned to thank the man who came to the boy's aid.
The boy has now been transferred to Children's Hospital. Physically he is going to be okay.
We're told one of the suspects is black and the other is white.
Once we located the shoes, evidence technicians were called and searched the area. We're told nothing else was found.
Meanwhile, Detroit Public Schools spokesman Steve Wasko says district officers are working with city police on the incident.
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