A New York woman was subjected to a terrifying ordeal involving kidnapping, carjacking, and a brutal assault by two individuals. The victim, Allison Smith, recounted her experience to WHAM-TV, detailing the events of September 13 that landed her in the hospital.
Smith, 29, was at the Four Guys deli in Rochester, preparing to pay for her items when a woman offered to settle her bill with a five-dollar note. Smith, needing only 10 cents, returned $4.90 to the woman and assured her she would retrieve a dollar from her car. This seemingly innocent exchange took a sinister turn when the woman became noticeably agitated.
Smith intended to defuse the situation by retrieving the dollar from her car parked across the street. However, the woman and an accompanying man threatened Smith with a firearm and forced their way into her vehicle. They compelled Smith to drive them around the city, during which they picked up another woman they referred to as “wifey.”
The ordeal escalated as Smith was subjected to a brutal assault, including having a broken pipe shoved into her mouth, causing her lips to bleed. Despite the terrifying circumstances, Smith found the courage to fight back. She bit down on the arm restraining her, causing a momentary release that allowed her to escape.
Smith sought refuge in a nearby convenience store, where a bystander called the police. The following day, Rochester Police Captain Greg Bello reported that a car chase involving Smith’s stolen vehicle ended when the driver hit a curb. Although several individuals fled from the car, police managed to apprehend one suspect.
The suspect, 20-year-old Shawntae Hall, was charged with assault, robbery, unlawful imprisonment, and multiple counts of grand larceny. However, Hall was released and subsequently failed to appear in court, prompting police to issue a warrant for her arrest.
Smith’s father expressed his shock at his daughter’s condition following the assault, stating she was unrecognizable due to the severity of her injuries. He voiced his desire for better protection for individuals, emphasizing that such an incident could happen to anyone.