19-year-old homeless man kidnapped and beaten by 7 attackers

TURNERS FALLS, Mass. (WWLP) - 22News is following a bizarre story out of Franklin County told to us by Montague Police Staff Sergeant Chip Dodge.

According to Dodge, a Turners Falls family was upset after their 14-year-old daughter claimed that Branden Stebbins, a 19-year-old homeless man, hit her. So the girl's mother Dawn Shafer allegedly enlisted the help of friends to hunt him down on Wednesday.

When they found him at Energy Park in Greenfield, police say they kidnapped him and bound him in duct tape. After bringing Stebbins to the family home at 144 7th Street, a neighbor witnessed the seven attackers beating Stebbins with baseball bats. Before police could get there, the family threw the victim back in the car and drove him to Montague Plains.

That's where alleged ringleader, Johny Lopez, threatened to rape and murder Stebbins. The victim was able to escape from the moving car, which ran over his arm, and ran onto Lake Pleasant Road where he was able to flag down a motorist to help.

Six of the seven alleged attackers have been arrested. Police are confident they will find the seventh. His name is Kyle Holden. They all face numerous charges including kidnapping and assault, and are scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Greenfield District Court.

The victim was taken to Franklin Medical Center where he was treated and released.