The Knoxville community faced a harrowing situation yesterday, when a domestic incident escalated to an especially aggravated kidnapping, as reported by the Knoxville Police Department. According to WVLT, the suspect, identified as 20-year-old Omar Armengol Cortes, allegedly forced his girlfriend out of her car and fled with her four-year-old daughter inside. The vehicle was later found abandoned.

In a pursuit that ensued, Cortes was apprehended outside West Town Mall, and as detailed by WATE, following his arrest and an interview conducted by the Special Crimes Unit detectives of the Knoxville Police Department, he faces charges for the kidnapping. The child at the heart of this case was found unharmed during the investigation into Cortes' whereabouts the police scoured the area around Buckeye Drive before locating Cortes, whom they warn may be armed with a firearm.

Original reports by WBIR revealed that before the kidnapping, an altercation occurred leading Cortes to take drastic action. The incident set off an immediate search for Cortes, who was initially only identified by his first name and described as wearing a maroon shirt and a multi-colored hat.