A Nashville woman and her newborn baby are in critical condition at Vanderbilt Medical Center after the mother, who was seven months pregnant, reportedly was shot by a Walgreens employee in a store parking lot for alleged shoplifting.
According to Nashville Police, Walgreens team leader Mitarius Boyd shot a suspected shoplifter, Travonsha Ferguson, in the store parking lot around 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 12. Doctors had to perform an emergency cesarean section to deliver Ferguson’s baby after she sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The baby reportedly was not harmed, and both mother and child are in critical but stable condition.
Police said that the 21-year-old Walgreens employee was notified by another employee that 34-year-old Ferguson and another woman were stealing.
Boyd claimed that he saw the women placing items into a shopping cart and into a large over-the-shoulder bag, according to Eyewitness 3 News Nashville. He reportedly took out his cell phone to record the women and proceeded to follow them out of the store to their car. Boyd reportedly spotted the women loading the stolen items in the trunk of their car and approached the rear side of the vehicle to confront the women.
He said that one of the women sprayed him using a can of mace, and that’s when he pulled out his gun and began shooting at the women.
According to police, Boyd said he started shooting because he was in fear and didn’t know if the women were armed. After the shooting took place, the two women left the scene, and Boyd went back inside the store to call 911.
The woman with Ferguson took her to the city’s General Hospital and drove away. WSMV-TV reports that Ferguson had multiple gunshot wounds and was transported by ambulance to Vanderbilt Medical Center.
Police said that they seized Boyd’s phone and the gun. They also reported that he is cooperating with the investigation.
Boyd was reportedly arrested in October for an alleged incident at a Nashville Best Buy. He reportedly caused disruption and refused to leave the store after discovering the store didn’t have a PlayStation 5 in stock. He allegedly got into an argument with several store employees, including the store manager, and authorities were called.
When police arrived, Boyd reportedly refused to leave and got into an argument with officers. Authorities charged Boyd with criminal trespassing and disorderly conduct.
Nashville detectives said once the Walgreens-related investigation is over, they will take their findings to the district attorney’s office to determine if Boyd will face charges. Nashville police didn’t release the identity of the second woman who was with Ferguson.
