A woman was kidnapped at knifepoint in Brookside Sunday afternoon and held against her will in a van until lawmen rescued her after a chase and gunfire.

The ordeal began at 2:45 p.m. when a citizen notified Brookside police of a kidnapping in progress of a white female on Brookside Coalburg Road, said Brookside police Chief Mike Jones. The witness said a black male was trying to drag her into a wooded area when he spotted the witness and then forced the victim into a white van.

Two Brookside patrol units spotted the suspect van passing Sharon Heights Baptist Church at which point the suspect rammed a witness’s vehicle. Officers attempted to stop the suspect vehicle, but he fled on Bivins Brookside Road and the chase was on.

Additional officers responded to assist and were able to block the suspect vehicle on Mt. Olive Rd where they could see an injured woman bleeding from her head being held against her will and forced to the floorboard by the suspect.

Officers tried to make entry into the van, but the suspect fought officers and rammed a police unit as he fled that scene. Police again pursued the van and requested tactical response units to assist.

As the vehicle approached the area of Joe Nail Road, officers were able to barricade the suspect’s vehicle. The suspect attempted to run over a Brookside officer at which time the officer shot into the van as it drove into the front yard of a nearby residence.

Jones said officers barricaded the suspect vehicle and established a tactical perimeter surrounding the van. The suspect held the victim at knife point barricaded in the rear of the van.

Tactical response units and Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies arrived on the scene. Officers tried to negotiate with the assailant as he continued to hold the victim hostage. “The suspect was demanding the officers kill him,’’ Jones said.

The tactical officers breeched the rear of the van, made entry, rescued the victim and took the suspect into custody.

Jones identified the suspect Sean E. Sanders of Los Angeles, California. “He has an extensive criminal history involving assault, kidnapping, and narcotics arrests,’’ Jones said. The van was equipped with a cage in the back, wire cages over the windows and had blankets covering the inside preventing anyone from seeing inside. The doors were also chained shut from the inside.

Jones said the victim did not know the suspect. Sanders was transported to the Brookside City Jail pending multiple felony charges including kidnapping, assault, criminal mischief, reckless endangerment, attempted murder, attempting to elude and additional charges will be formally announced as investigation continues.

The woman was taken to the hospital in stable condition.

“The guys did a great job,’’ Jones said.