Indiana boy, 9, scares off carjacker with pellet gun

A quick-thinking 9-year-old boy used his pellet gun to scare off a carjacker trying to steal his dad’s truck in Indiana, according to reports.

Police said 32-year-old Ollie L. Dunn attempted to steal Kevin Cooksey’s Dodge Ram at a convenience store in Kokomo on Christmas morning. Mr. Cooksey’s 9-year-old son, Larry Larimore, who was in the truck with the engine running, pulled out his pellet gun and pointed it at Mr. Dunn — a move he said he learned from his father.

“I was thinking, I hope my son knew what to do in that situation,” Mr. Cooksey told a local NBC affiliate.

“As soon as he opened the door, I got scared,” the boy told the outlet. “So I pulled out the pellet gun and pointed it to his head.”

Mr. Dunn took off and ended up stealing a nearby Chevrolet Trailblazer, owned by Kyle Sparling, who was inside the convenience store.

Police said Mr. Sparling and Mr. Cooksey called the police and then jumped in Mr. Cooksey’s truck to follow the suspect, who eventually spun out of control on the icy road and struck a sign on South Lafountain Street, NBC reported.

“I wanted to go catch the guy,” Mr. Cooksey said. “It’s just one of those instincts to help out somebody else.”

“He’s a total true American,” Mr. Sparling of Mr. Cooksey. “He’s a life-saver. If it wasn’t for him, I doubt that I’d have my car, to be honest.”

He said his car is still drivable after suffering damage to the fender, the tire well and the windshield.

Mr. Dunn, of Lafayette, was arrested for attempted auto theft, unlawful entry of a vehicle, vehicle theft, theft and operator never licensed, NBC reported.