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Man armed with machete tried to kidnap 2 children from Louisiana Walmart, police say

Posted at 6:51 PM, Mar 26, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-26 18:51:21-04

KENNER, La. – A man armed with several weapons, including a machete, tried to forcibly abduct two young children from their mothers in a Louisiana Walmart Friday, police said.

Around 2 p.m., Billy Yoe Budier-Herrera walked up to the first woman and her son, who was sitting in the grocery cart, and told her she was going to die if she didn’t do as he asked, according to a report from the Kenner Police Dept. The woman tried to walk away, but Budier-Herrera blocked their path, gripping the handle of his machete.

Budier-Herrera, 33, allegedly told the woman that, if she didn’t listen, the 2-year-old would also die. When she asked store employees for help, police say Budier-Herrera grabbed her son and tried to pull him out of the cart.

The woman held onto her boy as well, and the two began to struggle – finally she managed to wrest the 2-year-old from the would-be kidnapper’s grip and ran with her son to the deli section of the store, according to the report.

Budier-Herrera first ran into the Walmart store’s meat and poultry section, swinging the machete aggressively at any store employee who got close, police said.

Budier-Herrera then ran into an aisle where he saw an infant sitting in another cart, and grabbed the child – however, the infant’s seat strap prevented him pulling her out. Finally, several store employees and an off-duty Kenner police officer tackled him.

Officers found a container of pepper spray; a homemade shiv constructed with a plastic handle, razor blades and duct tape; and a 10-inch machete, according to authorities.

Budier-Herrera faces two counts of kidnapping charges, two counts of aggravated assault, two illegal counts of illegal carrying of weapons and disturbing the peace. Police also charged him with an immigration detainer.