On Wednesday night in Nashville, Tennessee, an armed Walgreens employee allegedly opened fire on a pregnant woman who had allegedly shoplifted from the store.
The employee reportedly witnessed the woman, who was seven months pregnant, and a second individual taking products from the store and attempting to confront them with what ended with an exchange of mace and bullets.
The employee followed the women out to their car, where one of them sprayed him with pepper spray. Subsequently, the empoloyee pulled out his gun and shot at the women, hitting the pregnant woman multiple times.
The second woman then drove the pregnant woman to the hospital. The medical personnel conducted an emergency C-section to save the infant, who escaped being shot.
The employee told the police that he was scared and uncertain if either of the women had a weapon.
The investigation is ongoing, and there have been no arrests. The woman and her baby are reportedly in critical but stable condition.
The employee’s gun use to confront the alleged shoplifters has been widely criticized. Many have argued that the employee should have called the police instead of taking matters into his own hands. Others have argued that the employee was justified in using a gun to protect himself and the store’s property.