MILLBURN — A Short Hills dad saved the life of his 13-year-old daughter when he grabbed his gun and chased off an attempted carjacker who had grabbed the neck of his daughter and threatened to kill her on their driveway.

That man will now serve at least 12 years in prison after a judge on Monday handed down a 14-year sentence against Ahmed Anthony, 30, who pleaded guilty to first-degree carjacking and second-degree kidnapping in connection to the incident on Nov. 27, 2017.

Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said Anthony was one of two men who approached the family at 1:48 a.m. at their Addison Drive home after the family had returned from a vacation. The teen and her father were in the driveway and bringing luggage into the home when they were approached by the assailants.

The father reported hearing a man yell: "Give me your keys or I will kill your daughter!" He said he saw Anthony holding his daughter by the neck. A second man was seen holding what appeared to be a gun, demanding money and keys to one of the family's Range Rovers. Anthony then demanded keys to a second Range Rover, which the father retrieved along with a gun.

After Anthony had trouble starting the car, the father pointed the gun at Anthony and told him to get out of the car and on the ground. Rather than complying, Anthony attempted to run away on foot and was picked up by a third person driving a minivan.

Authorities on Monday released for the first time details about the father defending his home with a firearm.

Anthony was arrested in January by the New Jersey State Police Fugitive Unit, the U.S. Marshal Service NY/NJ Regional Task Force Newark Division and the State Police Auto Theft Task Force, in addition to the local police department, NorthJersey.com reported. He was originally charged with kidnapping and robbery, along with second-degree receiving stolen property and second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon.

"We have ensured that this defendant will spend many years behind bars, where he cannot bring violent crime to our communities or terrorize a family and a young girl the way he did during this armed carjacking," Grewal said. "This lengthy prison sentence reflects our determination to protect New Jersey residents from this type of dangerous criminal."

Police Chief Brian Gilfedder called Anthony's sentence "a great collaborative investigation" by local police along with the State Police and the U.S. Marshals office.

"No parent should have to endure the horror of having their child's life threatened in front of them, and our hearts go out to the child who had to endure this Traumatic experience," Col. Patrick Callahan of the New Jersey State Police said.

A spokesperson for the attorney general's office said Anthony is the only one of the defendants to be arrested and charged in connection to this incident.

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