Accused of trying to kidnap a boy in Chugiak, suspect says it was a ‘prank’

A 19-year-old accused of trying to kidnap a boy at knifepoint Tuesday in the Chugiak area said he was only trying to play a "prank," according to the charges.

Lor P. Lee admitted to threatening the 13-year-old boy, according to the charges.

The incident was first reported at 2 p.m. Tuesday when police were called to a home in Eagle River to talk to a reported victim of an attempted kidnapping, the Anchorage Police Department said in a statement.

The boy told police he was riding his bike on a trail that parallels the Old Glenn Highway on Tuesday afternoon when a man identified by police as Lee walked up to him near where the trail crossed Fire Lake Drive.

Lee, who was holding an iPhone charging cable, asked the boy whether he had seen a young child who had gone missing, court documents say.

"The victim stepped off his bicycle and told Lee he hadn't seen anyone," police said. "Lee offered to give the victim a ride which the victim declined."

The encounter became violent when Lee grabbed the boy's arm, pulled out a "knife with a long black handle," and threatened to kill the boy if he didn't get into Lee's car, which was pulled over on the side of the highway nearby, court documents say.

The boy tried to flag down a passing car but the vehicle didn't stop, the documents say.

Lee threatened the boy again and put the knife away before the boy punched him in the face, police said.

"The victim was able to get on his bicycle and ride away," according to police.

The boy spotted the vehicle's license plate number and gave it to police.

When officers arrived at the residence the vehicle was registered at — a home on the 16500 block of the Old Glenn Highway — police found Lee inside, along with a knife matching the boy's description.

When questioned by police, Lee said he had "wanted to play a prank" on the boy "that he had seen on Vine videos." Lee had been thinking about this plan for "three or four days," charging documents say.

Lee said that he had seen the boy riding his bike and had pulled over on the side of the Glenn Highway. Lee admitted to grabbing and threatening the boy, according to court documents, and that he was trying to get the boy into his car so that he could drive the boy "somewhere."

Lee was arrested on charges of kidnapping and third-degree assault.

Police say they aren't looking for any additional victims at this time.

Reporter Laurel Andrews contributed to this report.