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Vi Ripken Safe After Attempted Carjacking; Suspect In Custody

ABERDEEN, Md. (WJZ)—A man tries to carjack the mother of legendary Oriole Cal Ripken Jr. in broad daylight. But Vi Ripken is safe thanks to her quick actions in the face of the gunman.

Kai Jackson explains it's not the first time she's been targeted by criminals.

Yes, Vi Ripken has had another frightening encounter. This time, police have a suspect in custody.

Sky Eye Chopper 13 was above the NBRS Financial Bank on W. Bel Air Avenue in Aberdeen.

Police process the crime scene where they report that Vi Ripken, the mother of baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., was approached by an armed man about 3 p.m. Tuesday as she left the bank.

"Ms. Ripken had told them that she was approached in the parking lot as she went to her vehicle by a man with a gun," said Lt.  Fred Budnick, Aberdeen Police.

Police say the man told Vi Ripken he wanted her car.

But in a split second, Vi Ripken turned the tables on the would-be robber.

"She was able to hit the, for lack of a better term, the panic button on her key fob, which I guess sounded the horn or something on the vehicle and the gentleman walked off," Budnick said.

Police say after the suspect left the area, Vi Ripken went into the bank for help.

Police say the suspect apparently tried to use the ATM at the bank.

They recovered his picture and tracked him down two and a half hours later, not far from where it all occurred.

It was frightening ordeal for Vi Ripken, who last year was abducted at gunpoint from her home, tied up, forced into her car and driven around for 24 hours. No demands were ever made, she was eventually returned safely, and the suspect in that case still remains at large.

"When I was down there and spoke to her, she's a strong woman and she seem to be fairly well. Shaken, I'm sure, after what she went through last year, but holding up," Budnick said.

A $100,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of a suspect in last year's abduction case.

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