Prosecutors say a Roxbury man forced a pregnant Rhode Island victim into a car at gunpoint, asked if they wanted to “die here or in Boston,” and then led police on a wild Interstate 93 chase before crashing and being arrested.
Story Snapshot
- Federal prosecutors charged Dominic Hampton-Boyd with kidnapping and gun crimes tied to an August 12 incident.
- Police say the victim was assaulted in Rhode Island and forced to drive toward Boston at gunpoint.
- Troopers pursued the vehicle on Interstate 93; video shows multiple crashes before the arrest.
- The case moved to federal court because the victim was taken across state lines.
Federal Charges Rooted In A Brutal Morning And A Border Crossing
Federal prosecutors allege Dominic Hampton-Boyd, 31, entered a Rhode Island apartment on August 12 without permission, struck a pregnant victim with a gun, choked them, and threatened to kill them.
Prosecutors say he forced the victim into a vehicle and asked whether they wanted to “die here or in Boston,” then headed north toward Massachusetts.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts charged him with kidnapping and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Those charges reflect the interstate path of the crime.
Troopers in Massachusetts got word of a hostage in a moving vehicle on Interstate 93 that same morning. Police say the suspect held the victim at gunpoint while weaving through traffic.
Video captured the vehicle slamming into multiple cars before coming to a stop, where officers moved in and made the arrest.
State authorities initially held him without bail on a list of charges, including kidnapping and gun offenses, before federal charges followed. Prosecutors say the victim survived the ordeal.
Why Federal Kidnapping Law Fits This Case
Federal kidnapping law exists for exactly this type of situation: a victim taken across state lines by force. The Supreme Court has made clear that Congress designed the statute to reach interstate abductions and to place them squarely in federal hands.
Prosecutors routinely pair kidnapping with gun charges when the facts show threats with a firearm during transport, as courts have upheld in other cases that blended abduction, hostage-taking, and weapons offenses. The route from Rhode Island to Boston checks the jurisdiction box that turns a local horror into a federal case.
Police reports and court filings also describe a separate stream of charges that state courts often bring first. These cover the chase, dangerous driving, and gun possession without a license.
Federal prosecutors then focus on the core interstate act and the prior felony gun ban. That division of labor matches normal practice. State police stop the danger. Federal agents and prosecutors handle the cross-border felony framework. The public sees a clean handoff and a tighter case file.
The Chase, The Video, And The Tally Of Risk
Footage of the Interstate 93 pursuit shows an ugly reality many drivers fear: a suspect car smashing into traffic with a person trapped inside. Reporters counted at least eight vehicles struck before the final stop. The harm did not end with dents and sirens.
Every crash in a moving hostage scene adds terror and chance of death. The facts alleged here cross several bright lines at once—home invasion, assault, gun threats, abduction, and a rolling hazard on a major corridor.
🚨An #FBI Boston Violent Crimes Task Force investigation has led to the arrest of Dominic Hampton-Boyd, of Roxbury, MA, for kidnapping & being a felon in possession of a firearm & ammunition. He allegedly kidnapped a victim at gunpoint in Rhode Island & drove the victim across… pic.twitter.com/P70Sf00Onn
— FBI Boston (@FBIBoston) September 28, 2026
Police chase cases can prompt debate about tactics, but the law gives officers room to stop an ongoing threat if they do not intend to harm the suspect beyond making the arrest. This case centers on the alleged choices of the driver, not the troopers.
What Comes Next In Court
Hampton-Boyd faces a federal kidnapping count and a felon-in-possession count. Convictions on those charges can bring long prison terms, especially when a gun and interstate transport are part of the facts.
Prosecutors will lean on the timeline from the Rhode Island apartment to the Interstate 93 stop, the physical evidence from the car, and statements made during the incident. Defense counsel will test each element. Until a verdict, these remain charges, not proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
Sources:
boston.com, wpri.com, justice.gov, yahoo.com, boston25news.com, law.cornell.edu
