SEFFNER, FLORIDA – A horrific case of domestic violence has left a community stunned after a man allegedly shot his pregnant girlfriend in the stomach while she slept. The bullet tore through the mother and struck her unborn child. Authorities in Hillsborough County have arrested 44-year-old Eric Patterson. He is a 15-time convicted felon who now faces a litany of serious charges for the brutal attack.
A Miracle Survival
The violence unfolded during the early morning hours of November 22. The victim was eight months pregnant at the time and was sleeping in her bed alongside two of her other children. Prosecutors state that Patterson knowingly grabbed a small-caliber handgun in the master bedroom. He fired the weapon directly into the bed and struck the woman in the abdomen.
Detectives later discovered a bloody sheet at the apartment. They noted a bullet hole surrounded by burn residue, which suggests the firearm was discharged in extremely close proximity to the victim.
Caught on Camera
Surveillance footage captured the terrifying moments immediately following the shooting. Cameras recorded the victim walking out of the apartment clutching her stomach. Patterson drove her to a regional hospital in Brandon and dropped her off at the emergency room shortly before 5:20 a.m. Hospital staff told deputies that Patterson fled the scene immediately in the victim's own vehicle.
Doctors performed emergency surgery and induced birth to save the child. The baby girl was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital where surgeons successfully removed the projectile from her abdomen.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister described the event as a heartbreaking tragedy that turned into a story of resilience. He confirmed that both the mother and the newborn are alive despite the severity of the attack. Patterson remains in custody and stands accused of aggravated battery on a pregnant female, tampering with physical evidence, child neglect, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
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