A terrifying moment was captured on video when a woman from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, managed to escape her ex-boyfriend, who police allege tried to kidnap and assault her on Valentine’s Day.
Officers responded to the scene around 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 14, after they received a report of an attempted kidnapping and domestic assault, according to ABC 7 Chicago, where you can see the harrowing footage.
Upon their arrival, the victim — whose name has not been publicly shared — told officers that the conflict with her ex-boyfriend, identified as Kenneth Clarke, began when he struck her several times.
The victim then claimed that Clarke, 53, tore out her lip ring and strangled her so severely that she almost lost consciousness. She also alleged that her ex-boyfriend shoved her into a wall, and police said that she suffered a cut to her ear as a result.
A West Virginia man is accused of kidnapping a woman and holding her hostage in a home for four agonizing days, allegedly beating the woman over the course of her captivity, according to media reports citing police. West Virginia State Police found the woman on Saturday, January 31, after receiving a call about gunshots at […]
Police said that Clarke then dragged the victim by her hair and forced her into the driver’s seat of an idling U-Haul van. He allegedly made it hard for her to escape by holding a pair of scissors up to her, threatening her life as he sped away.
Once Clarke and the victim came to the intersection of West Cunningham and Pillow streets, she told police she decided to make a break for it, according to WPXI.
The victim attempted to flee, and Clarke tried to stop her by stabbing her with the scissors, police said, adding that he managed to cut her pants and strike her buttocks.
However, she did eventually break free and ran into a nearby store, where she called 911 for help. A video obtained by ABC News showed the incident, in which she was seen running away from Clarke. The victim — whose face was blurred in the clip to protect her identity — ran across a parking lot and into the store.
Police said that Clarke followed her inside the store, but didn’t stay long, leaving before police arrived. The shocking footage did not show Clarke entering or leaving the store, so it’s not clear just how long he was inside for.
After authorities spoke to the victim, a be-on-the-lookout alert was issued for Clarke. Police later found his vehicle in Cranberry Township, and a brief chase ensued, ending when Clarke eventually stopped the van. Once they got a hold of him, Clarke was taken into custody and turned over to the Butler City Police Department.
Clarke has been charged with kidnapping, aggravated assault, strangulation, terroristic threats and simple assault. He has since been arraigned and is being held in police custody on a $250,000 bail.
Missouri man Christopher Brayton was recently arrested after police say he broke into a residence he previously shared with his ex-girlfriend before allegedly climbing into her bed and attacking her. Brayton, 31, was charged with domestic assault for his involvement in two separate domestic violence incidents that took place on two different days in October, […]
It is not currently clear if Clarke has entered a plea or retained legal representation following his arrest.
The Butler City Police Department did not immediately respond to Us Weekly’s request for comment regarding details about the incident.
Not much has been shared about the victim’s relationship with Clarke, including how long they dated or how recently they broke up. It is also not currently clear how they crossed paths on Valentine’s Day prior to the attempted kidnapping.
An investigation into the incident remains ongoing as Clarke remains behind bars.
