Thirty-three year old Billy Yoe Budier-Herrera was arrested Friday after police say he walked into a Louisiana Walmart with a machete and tried to kidnap a two-year-old and then an infant.
According to a statement by the Kenner Police Department, Budier-Herrera entered the store and in broad daylight, approached a woman with a 2-year-old son.
The attacker threatened the boy to his mother with a machete tucked in his belt to force her to cooperate with his demands, and when the woman cried for help, Budier-Herrera grabbed the two year old out of the cart.
The boy’s mother fought back, saved her son, and hid behind a nearby deli counter.
Walmart employees ran to the woman’s aid and surrounded Budier-Herrera, who pulled out his machete and swung it at employees into order to prevent them from capturing him.
Police say that as Budier-Herrera tried to make his escape, he tried to grab another child – an infant: “While armed with the machete, Budier-Herrera attempted to remove the infant from the grocery cart but was prevented from doing so because of the seat strap.”
Before he could get away, the attacker was tackled by store employees, along with an off-duty Kenner police officer, who was working at the store.
While being placed under arrest, officers say they found pepper spray and “a makeshift shiv constructed of a plastic handle with razor blades attached by duct tape.”
In all, Billy Yoe Budier-Herrera was arrested and charged with two counts of kidnapping, two counts of aggravated assault, illegal carrying of weapons, and disturbing the peace.
Furthermore, an immigration detainer was placed on him by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Budier-Herrera is currently in custody, and no bond has been set.
