Lawrence Kidnap Suspects Stabbed Victim, Demanded Money

ANDOVER, MA -- Massachusetts State Police arrested Joel Aguilar, 37, of Lowell in connection with a Lawrence kidnapping and a manhunt than ran through Lawrence, Andover, Methuen and Lowell. Two other suspects remain at large. have not released the name of a man taken into custody following a late-night manhunt and car chase Thursday.

Aguilar and the two suspects fled from the car after a brief pursuit at 2 am Friday. Aguilar was apprehended after a struggle with two State Police Troopers. Police recovered a gun and a knife (pictured above) from the car from which the suspects fled.

The investigation started at 11:20 pm Thursday when Lawrence Police reported they were look fro a grey, Chrysler Caravan in connection to a kidnapping. That vehicle and the victim were found Granada Way in Andover. The victim told police he had been stabbed and hit in the head with a gun. The kidnappers allegedly demanded cash from the man in return for his release.

Based on the investigation in Andover, police began searching for a black Chrysler 300. That car was spotted and pursued on Route 93 around 2 am, but state police lost sight of the car when it turned onto Route 110 in Lawrence. It was spotted a short time later on Route 110 in Methuen. Police pursued the vehicle through Methuen and Dracut into Lowell. When the car turned onto Avon Street, a dead end, the suspects jumped out of the car and fled on foot.

Back in Andover, residents remained on edge after an automated call from police and social media updates warning them to stay inside and lock their doors. Residents were instructed not to call police unless they had information on the suspects.

"Do NOT open your doors for anybody except a uniformed police officer," Andover Police said on its Facebook page. Shortly after midnight, police sent out another alert, saying that the two armed suspects had been apprehended in Lowell -- information that now appears to be erroneous.

The search involved police officers from Andover, Tewksbury, Lawrence and the Massachusetts State Police. State Police provided no additional information on the suspects.

Patch will update this story as more details become available.

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Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).