Siblings’ love is among the strongest, most selfless bonds that exist—and 13-year-old Owen Burns proved it in a moment of life-or-death urgency.
While getting ready to play his favorite video game, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, at his home in Alpena Township, Michigan, Owen heard his younger sister screaming outside. Alarmed, he ran to the window and witnessed a nightmare: an unknown man was dragging his 8-year-old sister toward the nearby woods.
Without hesitation, Owen grabbed his $3 slingshot and loaded it with the nearest items—a marble and a rock. Drawing from hours of backyard practice shooting at orange cans, he aimed and fired. One shot hit the attacker between the eyes, the other struck his chest. Stunned and wounded, the kidnapper fled, leaving the young girl behind—frightened but unharmed.
The siblings called their mother, who rushed home and contacted police. Michigan State Police later apprehended a 17-year-old suspect, who will be charged as an adult.
Thanks to Owen’s courage, quick thinking, and love for his sister, a tragedy was averted—and a family remains whole.
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“He really is the one that … I believe saved his sister’s either life or from something seriously bad happening to her,” Lt. John Grimshaw said at a news conference, calling Owen’s actions “extraordinary.”
Further, Grimshaw recounted the encounter saying the kidnapper, “came from behind her, grabbed her like you see in the movies — hand over the mouth, arm around the waist — and was attempting to pull her into the woods.”
Owen’s mom, Maggie Burns, didn’t believe her son’s story of hitting the kidnapper right between the eyes and on the chest, but the police confirmed it was true.
“[The suspect] had obvious signs of an injury consistent with those that would have been sustained from the slingshot strikes to his head and chest,” police said in a press release.
“You said I always lie!” Owen said to his mother.
“I just couldn’t believe it,” she replied. “It just didn’t sound real, until there was proof. It sounds like something you would see in the movies.”
“Mom,” the teenager said, “stuff in the movies can and do happen in real life.”
It’s easy to say that Owen is a true hero. His efforts of protecting his little sister have been praised by the entire community. Well done, young man.
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