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AUGUST 2, 2017
‘AM I GOING TO MAKE IT OUT OF THIS
ALIVE?’ Kidnapping survivor reflects Emily Barber @EMILYRISA
Chris wasn’t Following several sure incidents what wasingoing popular on of behind f-campus him, housing but oncedevelopments, they were all back for which in thethree car, the suspects suspects have been said there charged, wasa USC a change student of has plans come since forward Chris to share and his his experience roommateofhad being seen kidnapped their faces. and robbed. “Andthird-year The so that international was immediately business when and fi I nance started student feeling has chosen like, ‘Am to go Ibygoing Chris to in this article. make it out of this alive?’” Chris said. ‘It wasn’t just another person Russian roulette walking They drove by’ back out to Bluff Road, and Chris’s as they story did begins so, the around suspect 2ina.m. the on passenger July 25. He seatand turned his roommate to Chris were and moving asked him into if he anhad apartment ever played at Stadium Russian Suites, roulette. taking loads up to a second-floor unit “And fromwhen both of I said theirno cars. — I mean, I knew As they what started it was, but on one I saidofno,” their Chris last said, “and tookthree the revolver he had, trips, Chrishesaid, males emerged and heunderneath spun the wheel of theUntil revolver, from the stairs. the pointed itconfronted at my chest and with pulled the suspects them guns, trigger.” Chris and his roommate didn’t realize There a click; there was no bullet they werewas in danger. lined fire. when I realized it wasn’t “At up thattopoint other suspects] him to just“[The another person walkingtold by, going in stopout playing around, to stop and of their apartment ... I messing was just around, but he was Chris said. thinking, trying to serious,” follow their orders, “Theretowere gun. He trying followbullets it all inin mythe head,” Chris later “It showed me that there Iwere bullets said. happened so quick, was playing in the gun.” catch-up in my brain.” The threat happened too quickly for Chris dropped the printer he was Chris to process in the but carrying, and heit and hismoment, roommate it left him feeling handed over their hopeless. keys, wallets and cell Choosing phones. The compliance suspects then told them to the suspects threatened getWhen into Chris’s car and that they them were directly, which throughout going to get cashhappened from an ATM. They the kidnapping, said that tried told Chris and hisChris roommate thathe each of to reassure that he goingand to them had tothem withdraw at wasn’t least $500, fight back. Not thatwondered the thought hadn’t Chris immediately if he had crossed money his mind. enough in his account. “Actually, my first instinct ‘How The two younger suspectswas, took the do I getand out passenger of it?’” he said. driver seats, while the At the ATMChris or when car would older suspect, and the his roommate slow down, considered were in the Chris back seat. Chris how said he could escape. Butdriver when they in noticed that the didn’twere turnallthe one car, the suspects whoon, weren’t headlights or two windshield wipers even driving the had windshield guns trained Chris and though wasonfogging up. his roommate They drove tothe thewhole Shelltime. gas station at never hadand a chance to theChris corneralso of Bluff Road S. Beltline communicate with roommate and Blvd., where there is ahis Wells Fargo ATM. didn’t whattook would if he The know suspects thehappen roommate’s escaped and hiswithdrew roommate$300, didn’t.which card first and “If I Chris was to get away, hat had worried because it was tunder the consequences $500 demand. on him,” Chris said. “He was in theseemed middle.almost He would have like had “They excited, to climb stuff,they the they mayover not the havefloorboard even thought TV, different things like that.” were going to get that,” Chris said. ‘Do yout he understand why we’re A f ter room mate’s card,doing t he this?’ suspects took Chris’s and got another They re-entered Stadium $300. They probably could have Suites gotten using Chris’s As“There it turnedwas out,a more, Chris key said,fob. but, Chris said, theATM change plans was to camera on the and of they knew that. go Iback hiswere roommate’s So thinkforthey trying tocar. get Chris out of stayedasinfast hisas car, while the older suspect there possible.” took histhe roommate. Otherthey than the From Shell station, drove threat aofback Russian he down road,roulette, taking Chris severalsaid turns was the mostand scared during the couldn’t car ride until Chris his roommate alone withthe thearea. two younger suspects. recognize One of the suspects ris out said t hatcart hand roughout t he ledCh them of the held them at ordeal, the suspects to gunpoint, facing the car,were whiletalking the others him and ahis Sometimes unloaded TVroommate. and an XBOX 360. SEECHRISPAGE2
CONTACT 5 WITH POLICE
R OD D
EWO
ROS
DROP OFF
STATE FAIRGROUNDS
SH
OP
W.B. STAD.
STADIUM SUITES
13
JIM OW HAM EN ILT S A ON IR PO - LB RT
RD
BLU
4
FF R
D
WELLS FARGO ATM
2 * All points are approximations
1. Abduction outside Stadium Suites, around 2 a.m. Three males approach Chris and his roommate as they are moving taking a load into their aparment. They tell the students to get into Chris’s car.
2. Shell gas station, corner of Bluff Rd. and S. Beltline Blvd. The suspects demand debit cards and PINs from Chris and his roommate. They initially set a $500 minimum each, but only get $300 from each card.
3. Return to Stadium Suites The suspects unload a TV and an XBOX 360 from Chris’s car, then go back to Stadium Suites to collect his roommate’s car. Along the way, one suspect threatens Chris with a round of Russian roulette.
4. Corner of Jim Hamilton Airfield After getting Chris’s roommates car, the suspects drive them through the Rosewood Hills neighborhood and drop them off at a dead end.
5. Walk back through Rosewood Hills, around 3:45 a.m. Chris and his roommate walk back through the neighborhood and flag down a stranger who happens to be a SLED officer. They get in touch with Columbia police.