Authorities showed video footage of a kidnapped California family being placed by an armed suspect into a pickup truck as the victims’ relatives pleaded for help from the public during a press conference held Wednesday.
Jasleen Kaur, 27, Jasdeep Singh, 36, and their 8-month-old baby, Aroohi Dheri — as well as the baby’s uncle, Amandeep Singh, 39 — “were taken against their will from a business in the 800 Block of South Highway 59,” near the city of Merced on Monday, according to Merced County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).
During the press conference, which was streamed on MCSO’s Facebook page, an official said the suspect — who is currently in police custody — was seen talking to a man before walking into the family business carrying a trash bag. He later appeared to pull out a firearm after dropping off the trash bag before entering the business, per the video shown by officials.
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Police said there was no surveillance camera inside the business, where the suspect entered.
In the second video shown at the press conference, the suspect can be seen marching Jasdeep and Amandeep out through the back entrance of the business. Police said the victims appeared to be tied up with zip ties before they were placed into the backseat of a pickup truck.
The suspect drove the truck away at 9:13 a.m. before returning to the business moments later to take Jasleen and Aroohi out of the business “unrestrained” and into the truck, according to an MCSO official at the briefing.
“From this point on, we no longer see any of the four victims on video at the location or the suspect vehicle or the suspect,” he said.
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Authorities shared a farmer had found two of the victims’ phones on Monday. At some point, the farmer answered a phone when a relative attempted to call one of the victims, per CNN. Police also discovered one of the victims’ vehicles, a black 2020 Dodge Ram belonging to Amandeep, on fire.
A motive behind the kidnapping is unclear. Representatives from MCSO did not immediately return PEOPLE’s request for comment.
On Tuesday, detectives from MCSO identified the suspect as 48-year-old Jesus Manuel Salgado after receiving information from a bank in the city of Atwater, where he had used one of the victims’ ATM cards, the officials said.
Authorities said in the statement on Facebook at the time that Salgado had attempted suicide before he was apprehended, adding, he “is in our custody, currently receiving medical attention and in critical condition.”
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At the news conference Wednesday, Sheriff Vern Warnke shared Salgado was convicted in 2005 of a crime involving armed robbery and false imprisonment. He was released on parole in 2015.
Sukhdeep Singh, a family relative of the victims, asked anyone with information about the case to contact authorities.
“Every store, gas station, everybody whoever [has] a camera please check the camera,” said Sukhdeep at the news conference. “If you have any helpful tip or video, please provide it to the sheriff’s department or law enforcement.”
“Please help us all come forward so my family [can] come home safe,” he added.
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