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NEED TO KNOW
- Shawn Prince is facing several charges including kidnapping and making terroristic threats
- His alleged victim accuses him of kidnapping her following a “domestic incident” that took place two days before her eventual escape
- Prince allegedly threatened to cut her friend’s child’s throat before driving her into the woods and keeping her for a night, per authorities
A Pennsylvania man was arrested over the weekend after a woman who claims he abducted her escaped while he was dozing off.
Shawn Prince, 29, was arrested on Saturday, Oct. 4 in Kentucky, days after his alleged victim reported him to police in Scottsdale, Pa., the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
The alleged victim’s family had requested police conduct a welfare check when they had not heard from her in two days following a “domestic incident” with Prince, according to the statement.
When police responded to the woman’s residence on Wednesday, Oct. 1, they found it empty, with the door open and her cellphone inside.
While police were still at the scene, they received a report that the woman had called 911 and was at the police station.
She alleged Prince had kidnapped her following the “domestic incident” two days prior, on Sept. 29, threatening to cut her friend’s child’s throat if she did not go with him, the DA’s office said in the statement.
Prince is accused of then driving her to a wooded area that she did not recognize, put a gun to her head and forced her to stay there the night. The following morning, they drove out of the location and Prince made the woman drive as he was “nodding off,” she told police.
The woman recognized the area they were in and drove herself to the police station, where she was able to escape him. Prince allegedly fled in the vehicle and threatened to burn down her home, the DA’s office said.
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Prince was arrested in Kentucky, where he was awaiting extradition as of Saturday.
He is facing charges of kidnapping, simple assault, terroristic threats and harassment, the DA’s office said in their statement.
Online court records do not indicate plea or attorney information for Prince.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
