A heroic police officer came to the rescue of a woman who was allegedly kidnapped after she mouthed ‘help me’ during a traffic stop.
Kayla Wallace, who works for the North Myrtle Beach Police Department in South Carolina, US, pulled over a white jeep on May 28 after it sped through a red light.
She approached the woman behind the wheel who opened the door and appeared distressed.
She revealed the man in the passenger seat, Collins Bates, 29, had allegedly abducted her at gunpoint after a shooting.
Ms Wallace wrote in her police report: ‘I gave loud orders for her to close the door. The passenger also opened his door and stated that the windows don’t roll down.
‘The driver then told me that she felt like she was going to throw up.’
According to a police, the female silently mouthed ‘help me’ multiple times when she opened the door.
The department posted on Facebook: ‘While the male passenger wasn’t looking at the driver, the female silently mouthed ‘Help Me’ repeatedly.
‘The officer then took Mr Bates in the back of her patrol car before heading back to the woman, who revealed the man had just shot someone before forcing her to drive away at gunpoint.
Officer Pat Wilkinson said a traffic ‘be on the lookout” alert was issued but she didn’t know anything about the shooting before the traffic stop.
The alert said a white Jeep had been involved in a shooting in the area.
Fortunately, it described the suspect which matched Mr Bates’ description and police were called to the scene and he was arrested.
The suspect faces charges of attempted murder, kidnapping and possession of a weapon during a violent crime in connection with a shooting.
There was also a pistol found under his seat in the car, according to police.
The department praised Ms Wallace for her actions after it was revealed she was on the last thirty minutes of her shift when the incident happened.
North Myrtle Beach Police Department said in a statement: ‘Due to Officer Wallace proactively patrolling the streets of North Myrtle Beach, even to the last 30 minutes of her shift, a suspect in a shooting was arrested and an unlawfully carried pistol was recovered underneath the suspect’s seat.
‘Our department and our community is lucky to have Officer Wallace. Great Job!’
The officer was praised on Facebook by locals who said Kayla should be up for an award.
One user wrote: ‘Put this Officer up for an award! That’s amazing work! Great job Officer Wallace!’
Another added: ‘Way to go!!! And to pull someone for running a red light is just about unheard of these days. I’m proud of her for her actions today. She probably saved that lady’s life.’
