Gina DeJesus carjacked at gunpoint by several male suspects, Cleveland police say

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Gina DeJesus, one of the three females who survived over a decade in captivity at a Cleveland home, was carjacked at gunpoint early Thursday morning.

According to a report from the Cleveland Division of Police, officers responded to the intersection of West 127th Street and Triskett Road at approximately 1:40 a.m. on Thursday for the report of a carjacking.

Police met the victim, confirmed by 19 News to be DeJesus, at the scene. She told investigators that she was traveling on West 127th Street when she turned onto Triskett Road.

DeJesus stopped momentarily on Triskett Road when a silver sedan cut her car off and stopped in front of her vehicle, blocking her from leaving.

At least two male suspects exited the silver sedan and approached DeJesus’ vehicle.

One of the males pointed a handgun at her face and told her to get out of the vehicle, DeJesus told police.

Chief John Majoy of the Newburgh Heights Police Department is also President of the Board of Directors for Cleveland’s Family Center for Missing Children and Adults. DeJesus who founded the missing organization remained calm and level-headed according to Chief Majoy and that made her a survivor, “She’s a very, very strong individual – courageous individual, and I think that she’ll see that she will overcome this very, very quickly. So, she handled it very smartly and just didn’t give much of a fight. Just here’s my car, take it.”

According to the crime report, DeJesus gave the suspects her key fob, which they then drove away.

Surveillance video from the area shows the carjacking.

The silver sedan, which DeJesus initially said was occupied by up to four males, then drove from the scene.

The report states that in addition to the car being stolen, DeJesus’ purse and credit cards were also taken.

A DeJesus family friend told 19 News that, at this point, it is not believed that she was targeted because of who she is. The carjacking appears to be a random attack.

Investigation into the carjacking and robbery is still ongoing. No arrests have been made at this time.

The Cleveland Division of the FBI is assisting Cleveland police with their investigation, according to a spokesperson. She said FBI agents and CPD officers work together on a violent crime task force.

DeJesus, along with Michelle Knight and Amanda Berry, was kidnapped in 2002 and held prisoner for more than a decade inside Ariel Castro’s Seymour Avenue home. The three escaped together in May 2013.

DeJesus has since founded the Cleveland Family Center for Missing Children and Adults. The center released a statement on her behalf:

This is a developing story.

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