'I thought I was going to die.' 11-year-old Hope Mills boy assaulted while walking to school

Bernard Jones, 22, of Hope Mills, was charged with assault of a child less than 12 years of age in connection to the incident.

Chase St. Peter said he tried running away after the man grabbed him by his bookbag and had him by his neck while walking to Grays Creek Middle School.

"I thought I was going to die," said St. Peter. "I thought today is my day -- that's it."

St. Peter said he was walking to school with his friend, a 12-year-old girl named Maya. The girl noticed a man following too close to her, according to St. Peter, and then started to chase her.

"I saw what happened, and I saw him running after her and I just kind of said, 'Go to my house.' When I turned around, he was halfway behind us and we started running and he ran," he said.

While Maya was able to get away, St. Peter said the man went after him.

"At no point in time will it ever be acceptable for anyone to touch any child in a neighborhood," said his father, Ray St. Peter.

Ray St. Peter said screams from his wife prompted him to wake up.

"She yelled that someone was trying to take our son, so, I ran and I have a gun cabinet right by my door and I armed myself immediately," said Ray St. Peter.

Ray St. Peter and his son credited one of their neighbors, a retired military serviceman, for calling police and stepping in to help him tackle Jones.

"If it weren't for David reacting, I don't even know what would have happened to the guy," said Chase St. Peter.

Jones was taken to a local hospital for evaluation because he displayed signs of cognitive impairment, according to deputies.

Individuals who live in the Cypress Lakes Village area are asked to check their cameras to see if they have video footage from Tuesday morning that could help in the investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call Det. S. Odenwelder at 910-677-5477 or Crime Stoppers at 910-483-8477.