"If he pulls the trigger, I'm gone," says teenager carjacked outside Union Co. movie theater

UNION COUNTY, N.C. — Sixteen-year-old Chinedu Iheme tried to remain as calm as he possibly could.

He said he listened to commands and that nothing would have been worth his life or his friend’s life.

Investigators are searching for a stolen car and a trio who violently carjacked two teenagers outside a movie theater in Union County.

Just after 9 p.m. Saturday in the Sun Valley area, a 16-year-old girl told deputies that she and Iheme were talking in a car when a silver Honda pulled up.

Deputies said three people got out and forced them out of the car at gunpoint.

"They came around us and started asking us questions, like ‘How old are we? Whose car is that? What are you guys doing? And comes out with the gun and aims it at us,” Iheme said.

They stole her car and forced Iheme into the carjackers' car, deputies said.

“It doesn't happen very often. Actually, it's very unusual,” said Tony Underwood of the Union County Sheriff’s Office. “But at this point, the circumstances remain under investigation. We have a very vague description of the suspects."

Iheme said that one of the men demanding the two teens give him money forced the girl to start the car before taking off with it.

“She was just crying. She was scared,” Iheme said.

Another man told Iheme to crawl out of the car and get on the ground before kidnapping him and dropping him off about four miles away.

The teen victims were not injured, and officials believe the stolen car, a black 2012 Audi A-7 Prestige with license plate number EHV1142, may be in the Charlotte area.

Anderson Iheme, Chinedi’s father, said he was proud of his son for staying calm.

"I thank God for everything, that he's safe,” he said.

Anderson Iheme said they are working with detectives to find the men responsible for the carjacking.

Iheme said he didn't think he was going to live to see another day.

“If he pulls the trigger, I'm gone,” Iheme said.

Cox Media Group