Police: Oklahoma Man Kidnapped Woman, Tried To Kill Her In Las Vegas

Police arrested a Garfield County man accused of kidnapping a woman, taking her to Las Vegas, and trying to kill her until officers intervened. 

Shawn Scott Smith, of Garber, Oklahoma, was arrested on July 17 on charges of attempted murder and first-degree kidnapping, according to the arrest report from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

"All I knew if I didn't get out, he would kill me," the kidnapping victim, Pamela Kirkpatrick, told News 9.

According to the police report, Kirkpatrick told investigators she confronted Smith on July 14 after she learned from someone else that Smith allegedly touched two children inappropriately. Kirkpatrick said while she was later getting gasoline, Smith got into her car and forced her to drive.

Kirkpatrick said Smith made her drive to a casino to withdraw money from an ATM. She said Smith then took her to a motel in Oklahoma City to stay the night. The next morning, they drove through Texas, where Smith tossed her phone out the car window, Kirkpatrick said. The two then stayed in New Mexico before driving to Las Vegas, Kirkpatrick told News 9.

"He had stopped to fill up with fuel and I had called the cop from the burner phone and the Garber cop had the number traced and they pinged it here in Las Vegas," Kirkpatrick said. 

Las Vegas officers pulled over Smith on June 17 for an unsafe lane change, but he later sped away from the traffic stop, the police report said. 

"He had a knife to my wrist while the cops were outside the car," recalled Kirkpatrick.

Kirkpatrick said while Smith was fleeing police, he cut her left forearm open down to the bone. The arrest report said the laceration was 6 inches long and a tendon was severed.

"And then I jumped out of the car into an empty gravel lot," said Kirkpatrick, adding that Smith got out of the vehicle and went after her.

Police said in the arrest report that they saw the victim "rolling in the dirt bleeding profusely from her left arm" while "Smith was standing over her trying to grab her other arm."

"He cut his wrist in front of the cops," Kirkpatrick said.

Because Smith ignored the officers' commands and was getting closer to the victim, officers used a stun gun and arrested him, the police report said.

"It's kind of like watching a horrible Lifetime movie. Like you don't want to believe it," said Kirkpatrick. "It's a lot to process."

Kirkpatrick said while doctors reattached her tendon on Thursday, another surgery will likely be needed. She said she can feel the fingers on her left hand, but still can't move them. With rehabilitation, Kirkpatrick said it may take six months to a year before she gets full function back.

Because Kirkpatrick's injuries are causing her to miss work, friends and family are raising money to support her and her children. Those wishing to help can go to any Great Plains Bank in Oklahoma and donate under her name, Pamela Kirkpatrick. Alternatively, people can donate through her Chime account, $pamela-kirkpatrick-1.