July 25, 2025 Flatbush Brooklyn - A harrowing carjacking in Flatbush, caught on dramatic surveillance video, has left a local woman shaken and questioning her sense of security. Kate Hallet, a Flatbush resident of eight years, recounts the terrifying 30-second ordeal that she says "changed her life forever."
The incident occurred on July 13, at approximately 2:40 a.m., at the corner of Lewis Place and Coney Island Avenue. Hallet and a friend were sitting in a parked car when two men suddenly approached.
"The door opened and there was a teenager standing there and he said, 'Give me your phone,'" Hallet recalled.
A Split-Second Decision with Lasting Impact
In a moment of instinct, Hallet refused to surrender her phone, a decision she now reflects on as "stupid in the moment" but born of pure shock. The situation quickly escalated. The attackers threatened to stab her, and moments later, Hallet was violently dragged from the vehicle.
"Before I knew it, I was on the ground and they had reversed the car and the door hit me," she said, vividly recalling the impact. The suddenness and brutality of the attack left her fearing for her life. "I was like, 'Oh my God, I’m going to be killed.'"
Arrest Made, But Questions Remain
Just days later, on Monday, police located the stolen vehicle in Manhattan, near Madison Street. Officers apprehended 18-year-old Darnell Paul inside the car. A knife was reportedly found in the glovebox, and the stolen vehicle showed signs of damage.
Despite being arrested and charged with multiple felonies, Paul was released hours later on supervised release, with a judge ordering a psychiatric evaluation. This swift release has left Hallet in disbelief. "I am shocked. I’m in disbelief," she stated.
Prosecutors revealed that Paul has a troubling history, including a June arrest for punching a driver in an attempted carjacking, followed by another arrest the very next day for punching another man and stealing his car.
