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FORT COLLINS, Colo. (KDVR) — A man accused of attempted murder was arrested after he took off with a baby while looking after the infant.

Fort Collins Police said Gabriel Motta, 50, disappeared with a 9-month-old he was babysitting on July 17 and the infant’s parents reported the child missing on the morning of July 19.

The child’s parents had not been able to reach Motta since July 18 when he was last known to be at the bus stop by a Denny’s on East Mulberry Street, police said.

When officers responded to the missing child report, they discovered that Motta also had a restraining order from both of the child’s parents and a felony warrant from the Department of Corrections.

Approximately an hour after the missing report came in, police located Motto with the baby at the Downtown Transit Center. He was taken into custody without any issues. Drugs, a loaded handgun and several stolen items were found with Motto during his arrest, police said.

The loaded handgun was discovered under blankets the infant was lying on after they found the 9-month-old in a stroller. Methamphetamine was also found at the scene.

Motto was booked on previous charges from a May incident and new charges from the child abduction:

  • Possession of a weapon by a previous offender
  • Criminal possession of two or more financial devices
  • Unlawful possession of a controlled substance
  • Child abuse
  • Violation of a protection order

Attempted murder incident in May

An arrest warrant for Motto was out for an incident on May 11 when a woman reported her purse was stolen out of her car. Police said she learned what car Motto was driving by security camera video and followed the black Subaru when she saw it in her neighborhood later that morning.

Police said the woman confronted Motto while they were both in their cars about stealing her purse and he threatened her with a handgun. He took off driving recklessly through a school zone and residential area and shot at the woman when she continued to follow him. She stopped the pursuit and gave police a description of the Subaru with the license plate number.

Investigators discovered the driver of the car was Motto and issued a warrant for his arrest. Charges from that incident included:

  • Attempted first-degree murder
  • Illegal discharge of a firearm – 3 counts
  • Possession of a weapon by a previous offender
  • Felony menacing

“With a weapon hidden so close to an infant, and within reach of an individual who has such blatant disregard for human life, it’s a miracle nobody was harmed,” Assistant Chief Tim Doran, who leads the Criminal Investigation Division said. “I’m grateful to our detectives for their diligent work on the shooting case and officers who quickly rescued this child from further danger.”

He was booked into the Larimer County Jail and issued a combined $125,000 cash/surety bond.