TAMPA, FL – A night intended for romance turned menacing for a woman in Tampa when her date allegedly pulled a gun on her, robbed her, and then attempted to kidnap her, authorities said.
The ordeal began late on the night of January 18 at a local hotel, where the woman and her date, whom she met online, were spending time together. According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the woman frantically dialed 911 from a Motel 6, desperately pleading for law enforcement intervention.
“Please, I need help immediately,” she urged, explaining that she was hiding from the suspect outside the motel.
Recounting her traumatic experience to the dispatcher, she said her date had put a firearm to her head and demanded everything she had. Adding to her distress, she revealed she was cleverly pretending to retrieve more money from her hotel room while staying on the phone with the suspect.
The dispatcher assured her that officers were en route, advising her to remain on the line and report any sighting of the suspect. Her panic escalated when she saw him approaching again, prompting the dispatcher to urge her to keep silent until police arrived.
In the chilling moments that followed, sheriff’s deputies arrived just after the suspect had fled. Body camera footage shows the woman struggling to catch her breath as she detailed how events unfolded. She explained that the meeting started innocuously in a parked car but quickly turned threatening when the man produced a gun, took her belongings, and coerced her to retrieve cash.
After a daring escape, deputies tracked the woman’s phone still in the suspect’s vehicle. In an attempt to evade capture, the suspect crashed into another car. Authorities identified him as 26-year-old Elijah Silva El-Shabazz. He faces multiple charges, including armed kidnapping, robbery, fleeing law enforcement, and drug trafficking.
Sheriff Chad Chronister expressed relief over the victim’s safety, commending her courage. “In a perilous situation, she showed remarkable resilience by calling for help, and our team acted swiftly to ensure her safety and arrest the perpetrator. We commend her bravery during this frightening ordeal,” Chronister stated.
The suspect now awaits a judicial process that could lead to significant legal repercussions while underscoring the potential perils of online interactions turned dangerously awry.