LA GRANGE, Ky. — Kentucky authorities are reportedly investigating a link between the alleged abduction of an Ohio State University Mansfield student and the shooting deaths of two people near La Grange on Monday afternoon.
The Louisville Courier Journal reported Tuesday afternoon that Kentucky State Police are investigating the alleged kidnapping of Skyler Williams, 20, from the OSU-M campus just before noon on Monday. Nearly four hours later and 290 miles southwest, two people were shot and killed following a car chase that encompassed multiple Kentucky counties, included the use of stop-sticks, and resulted in a crash.
The Ohio State University website identified Ty’rell D. Pounds, 23, of Mansfield as a suspect in the alleged abduction.
“That case in Ohio has been brought to our attention, and we are investigating to see if they are linked,” Sgt. Josh Lawson, of the Kentucky State Police, told the Louisville Courier-Journal.
Kentucky State Police told Wave 3 News (an NBC television affiliate in Louisville) it was responding to a call for a woman in distress when officers attempted to stop a 2019 dark-colored Dodge Caravan that Pounds allegedly stole before the abduction took place in an OSU-Mansfield parking lot.
KSP said its officers tried to use stop sticks to end the chase twice, but it didn’t work. The dark-colored vehicle reportedly crashed while attempting to pull back onto I-71. Shortly after, police officers reportedly opened fire, shooting a man and a woman in the car. It’s unclear if police officers hit either of the people inside the car.
Wave 3 News reported the man was killed at the scene. The woman was taken to University Hospital in Louisville where she later died.
Authorities said the driver tried to pull away, igniting a chase that began in Gallatin County, lasted 20 minutes and ended in Oldham County. La Grange, Kentucky is approximately 80 miles southwest of Cincinnati, along Interstate 71.
On Monday afternoon, The Ohio State University Mansfield website posted a notice that Williams was forced into a car at gunpoint while standing at a parking lot on campus at approximately 11:45 a.m.
The school identified Pounds as her alleged abductor.
According to a Mansfield Police report filed on Monday at 1:56 p.m., Pounds’ roommate reported Pounds and Wiliams were at his Wood Street apartment. The roommate stated Williams wasn’t hurt, but she was crying. The roommate noted Pounds had a gun and was very serious. He took his keys and his phone and allegedly stole his vehicle.
The roommate said he knew Pounds was going through custody issues with Williams and the two left before the roommate could get dressed. The roommate went to a friend’s house to call police but they were already there when he arrived.
Kentucky State Police Trooper Steven Dykes told Wave 3 News a 911 call in Gallatin County started the chase.
“Female attempted to escape from the vehicle — black male pulled her back into the car,” an Oldham County dispatcher said. “He is possibly armed.”
According to Pounds’ Facebook page, he graduated from North Central State College in April 2018. He was a Mansfield Senior alumnus.
Williams’ Facebook page said she attended Mansfield Senior and Madison. She was studying physical therapy at OSU-Mansfield.
