SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Police say a man is being charged after he allegedly kidnapped a child, and held them at gunpoint for "ding-dong ditching" around the neighborhood.
The Scranton Police Department stated on March 7, around 10:30 p.m., officers were called to East Elm Street for a 12-year-old reporting that a man pointed a gun at her.
The victim told police she was playing "ding-dong ditch" with her friends when the group knocked on 56-year-old Robert Ulrich's door.
Officers said the victim claimed two men from inside the home came out, grabbed the victim, and put a handgun to her head. The victim said one of the men then asked if she "wanted to die," as stated in the affidavit.
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According to court documents, while holding the victim at gunpoint, Ulrich and the second man made her walk with them to West Scranton Middle School to look for her friends and stated, "he is from Canada, and all these kids want a bullet in their head."
Police say the victim was able to get away from the men and call 911 with her friends. Investigators then obtained surveillance video from the West Side Middle School, where they saw Ulrich and the other man walking with the victim to the front of the school.
The victim was able to identify Ulrich as the one who pointed the gun at her head.
Ulrich was charged with kidnapping of a minor, unlawful restraint of a minor, simple assault, terroristic threats, reckless endangerment, and harassment.
