A Florida resident, Eric Patterson, 44, has been arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon on a pregnant woman, tampering with evidence, and possession of a firearm by a felon, among others. The charges stem from an incident that took place in the early hours of November 22, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Just before 5:20 a.m. on that day, deputies were alerted to a pregnant woman who had been shot in the abdomen and subsequently dropped off at a regional hospital’s emergency room in Brandon, a city approximately 15 miles east of Tampa. Hospital staff reported that a man, later identified as Patterson, fled the scene immediately after the woman was admitted.
The sheriff’s office revealed that the victim, who was eight months pregnant, was asleep in bed with her two children when Patterson allegedly shot her. The bullet also hit her unborn child. The circumstances leading up to the incident remain unclear.
Prosecutors claim that Patterson knowingly picked up a small caliber handgun while the victim was in bed and fired it, causing the bullet to enter the woman’s abdomen. A detention motion obtained by Law&Crime described the crime scene, noting a blood-stained sheet with a hole surrounded by what appeared to be burn residue, consistent with a firearm being discharged at close range.
The victim, who was eight months pregnant at the time, had to undergo emergency surgery and induced birth due to the severity of her injuries. The newborn baby was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital for further treatment.
Investigators were able to identify Patterson as the shooter through surveillance footage that showed him leaving the residence with the victim, who was seen clutching her stomach. Additional footage from the hospital showed the pair arriving, and Patterson driving away in the victim’s vehicle.
During surgery on the newborn, doctors removed a small caliber projectile from her abdomen. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister praised the resilience of the mother and child, stating, “What could have ended as a heartbreaking tragedy is now a miracle story of survival and resilience.” He also commended the detectives for their tireless work in apprehending the suspect.