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Two teenagers from South Carolina found themselves in a harrowing situation when they were reportedly kidnapped and held at gunpoint. Their ordeal ended when one of the teens managed to escape by biting through her restraints and fleeing in their captor’s vehicle.
On March 28, authorities charged Darrius Gilmore with several serious offenses, including attempted murder, kidnapping, possession of a firearm during a violent crime, and discharging a firearm into a vehicle. These charges were outlined in a press release from the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina.
Currently, it remains unclear whether Gilmore has submitted a plea or secured legal representation.
At approximately 3 a.m. that same day, Gilmore and the teenagers reportedly traveled to his Columbia home via Uber, as stated by Calhoun County Chief Deputy Matt Trentham during a press conference on March 31, according to WIS News 10. Once there, Gilmore allegedly used tape to bind the teens, threatened them with a firearm, and transported them to an isolated area with the intent to kill, Trentham explained.
Upon reaching a second location, Gilmore is accused of leaving his vehicle running while he pulled one of the girls out and assaulted her with a pistol. During this distraction, the other teen seized the opportunity to gnaw through her restraints, take control of the car, and drive away to seek help.
As Trentham hailed, “I think she was extremely brave.”
While Gilmore allegedly fired his gun at the departing car, the second teen ran to a residence for safety and, according to Trentham, later received medical treatment for minor injuries.
Gilmore allegedly admitted to shooting the car, claiming the teen had stolen it, said Trentham, who noted police found a semi-automatic 9mm gun at the scene.
It’s unclear why the teens were with Gilmore in the Uuber, explained Trentham, admitting they came very close to a “tragic end.”
“We believe that he was actually communicating with someone,” Trentham said of a possible accomplice, “and they were giving him advice…on what he needed to do.”
It’s unclear when Gilmore will next appear in court.