The shocking abduction attempt of an 8-year-old boy has been caught on camera.

Police in the US state of Oklahoma are searching for a man after he was caught on CCTV trying to abduct an 8-year-old boy from a school wrestling competition.

The Oklahoma City Police Department released photos of the incident online, which show a man picking up the boy and attempting to walk away with him at the State Fairgrounds.

"When the child began to kick and scream, the man put the child down and left," the Police Department shared on Facebook.

Police have described the man as a "heavy set Hispanic or Native American, standing at approximately 6-feet-tall."

The would-be abductor was wearing a black baseball cap, grey sweatpants, a vest and a long-sleeved navy blue shirt, local news outlet KOHK-TV reported.

The shocking images have struck a cord with parents across the country, with some commenting that the child had been "taught well" to escape.

"The parents did a good job in teaching the child to fight back and scream, which probably saved his life," one person wrote on Facebook.

"Anyone who thinks you can watch over your children every moment of everyday is not being honest with themselves."

Other's described the event as "every parent's worst nightmare".