A distressing incident unfolded at a Wilkinsburg gas station last Thursday when a woman, who was kidnapped at gunpoint, blindfolded, and pistol-whipped, made a daring escape. The victim was able to flee her captors at a BP gas station on Ardmore Boulevard. According to reports from WPXI, an arrest warrant has been issued for Dontae Andre Ra Stevens, 19, of Wilkinsburg, who the victim identified as a local rapper.
Per the criminal complaint, the victim had intended to go to Stevens' residence on Clark Street to provide a haircut, but upon arrival, she was confronted by Stevens and another individual, who presented firearms, struck her repeatedly, and demanded that she grant access to her Cash App. Additionally, the assailants called the victim's significant other and several acquaintances, threatening the victim's life in exchange for money, as detailed in the complaint and corroborated by WTAE's coverage.
The situation escalated when the victim was forced into the backseat of her Kia, and the suspects drove to the gas station. Seizing a moment when one suspect left the car, the victim bolted from the vehicle, screaming for help. She managed to evade recapture after a struggle. The car was later recovered in the 1300 block of Maple Way. Stevens is facing charges including aggravated assault, kidnapping, and robbery, as indicated by law enforcement authorities.
An unexpected ally appeared in the form of Ross Russo, who was at the gas station during the incident. "This girl just ran over to my truck, jumped in my truck. It really scared me," Russo said. “ I didn’t know what was going on, but she was frantic and started getting sick in the truck,” Russo told WPXI that he provided refuge in his truck for the victim while contacting emergency services.
Russo's actions likely altered the trajectory of the evening for the better, as he was present to not just witness, but intervene in a fleeting moment of raw human distress. He recounted the victim's fearful words, saying, "She’s like, ‘Someone is trying to kill me.’ Honestly, I didn’t know what to believe, but could see a lot of scare in that girl." The victim, after being rescued, was taken for medical treatment to address her head injuries, evocative of the ordeal she had endured.
