A horrific act of violence against a pregnant woman and her unborn child unfolded in Hillsborough County last week, ending fortuitously with the two fighting successfully for their lives. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office reported arresting a man accused of shooting his pregnant girlfriend while she slept, an act that endangered the lives of her, her unborn child, and her other sleeping children.
According to a press release from the Sheriff's Office, the woman was brought to Brandon Regional Hospital at 5:17 a.m. last Saturday, with a gunshot wound to her abdomen — dropped off by the alleged shooter, who is said to have fled the scene immediately after. That man, identified as 44-year-old Eric Patterson, who has an extensive criminal past, was later arrested by detectives on Tuesday.
Patterson's charges are severe and manifold, including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon on a pregnant female, tampering with physical evidence, felon in possession of a firearm, shooting at within or into a building, possession of firearm during commission of felony, and child neglect x2. Investigators assert that the victim, eight months pregnant at the time of the shooting, was in bed alongside two of her children when she was shot, with the bullet also hitting the unborn baby.
The injured mother required emergency surgery, followed by the delivery of her baby — who then needed to be airlifted to Tampa General Hospital for further surgery. Sheriff Chad Chronister lauded the resolve of both victims, stating, “What could have ended as a heartbreaking tragedy is now a miracle story of survival and resilience,” and commending his detectives for their rapid response. "Our detectives worked tirelessly to locate the suspect, and I am grateful he is now in custody. It is truly extraordinary that both the mother and her newborn baby survived. Their strength in the face of this tragedy is a powerful reminder of why we remain committed to protecting every family in our community,” he also said.
