By Cheryl Smith
Texas Metro News
Kenyatta and Briana Jordan were minding their own business, taking care of the business of their family when someone crossed their path; changing their lives forever.
Some are referring to the Jordans as heroes, model neighbors and good Samaritans because the couple saw someone they thought law officials were looking for and they acted.
The message on the street about “snitches get stitches” never crossed their minds.
They were more concerned with getting a violent criminal off the streets. Their instincts were on point.
The person they were looking at was indeed Leonard Lamar Neal, whose photo appeared on WANTED posters for Aggravated Kidnapping and listed him as the suspect in the aggravated kidnapping of two children.
Neal, 41, was added to the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Top 10 fugitive list after he abducted a nine-year-old boy and his seven-year-old sister, who he also sexually molested, in June.
The crime took place on June 11 in Oak Cliff in a portion of Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins’ district and that is also where the Jordans live and Neal was captured.
“We looked at him and I said, ‘that looks like the man they are looking for,’” said Briana Jordan, as she recounted seeing Neal at a bus stop, watching him get on the bus and following the bus as they called 911.
“They put their lives in danger,” said Councilman Atkins, during a press conference discussing the incident. “They are heroes. This is community policing at its best. They saw and they acted.”
What was disconcerting for Atkins, however; was finding out that because of the North Texas Crime Stoppers policy and procedures, the Jordans were not eligible to receive the advertised reward because that program was established for anonymous tipsters.
Joined by David Dean, Chair of the North Texas Crime Commission, Atkins said curbing crime was important to everyone and there needed to be not only a collaboration between law enforcement and the community, but also some type of awareness programs to inform citizens about programs like Crime Stoppers.
When word spread of the crime, capture and situation involving not paying the Jordans any reward money Tony Woods, owner of Wingfield’s Breakfast & Burger; Dallas native and business owner Cliff Freeman; owners of Riddell Plumbing, and Complete Fire Protection and CC Carpet ; and the non-profit Texas First Responders; were among those who have shown their appreciation by writing checks to the Jordans.
“We were just trying to do something right,” said Kenyatta Jordan. “It was never about the money.”
Briana Jordan said she thought about her six children (four girls and two boys) when she first heard about the crime.
“We all should come together. Our children deserve better,” she said, adding, that like Councilman Atkins said, ‘when you see something, say something and do something.’”
