A Tennessee woman is suing Walgreens after an employee of the retail giant suspected her of shoplifting and shot her seven times in the store parking lot, leaving her in critical condition.
Last April, the East Nashville Walgreens employee, Mitarius Boyd, suspected a seven-months pregnant Travonsha Ferguson or her friend “was attempting to shoplift Walgreens merchandise from the store,” according to court paperwork filed Wednesday and obtained by FOX Business.
According to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, Boyd had been notified by another employee that two women were stealing items from the store located at 2500 Gallatin Avenue.
SMALL BUSINESSES TAKING EXTREME MEASURES TO STOP SHOPLIFTERS BECAUSE OF SOFT-ON-CRIME LAWS: SECURITY EXPERT
Boyd said he saw the women placing items into a store cart and into a large over-the-shoulder bag and began recording the women with his cell phone. He proceeded to follow them as they left the store without paying, according to police.
Boyd told police that he made his way over to the women as they put the items in their trunk.
Ferguson claimed in the lawsuit that Boyd “never identified himself as an employee, and aggressively confronted” them about the alleged merchandise “while cursing and screaming.”
Ferguson claimed in the suit that she sprayed Boyd with mace “in fear of imminent bodily harm to baby Ferguson and herself,” the court documents stated.
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Boyd then shot Ferguson “up to seven times, which resulted in serious bodily harm” to her and her baby, the documents stated.
Boyd admitted to police that he pulled out his semi-automatic pistol and began shooting. He also said that he didn’t know if they were armed, according to the police report.
After the women fled the scene, Boyd went back into the store and called 911.
Meanwhile, Ferguson was rushed to the hospital where she was in “critical but stable condition” and underwent an emergency C-Section, according to police.
She “sustained internal and/or intestinal injuries and, as a medical necessity, must now wear a colostomy bag to survive,” according to the suit.
Her baby “fought for his life for weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit” and “is at an increased risk of long-term intellectual and developmental disabilities,” the suit continued.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WBA | WALGREENS BOOTS ALLIANCE INC. | 21.69 | +0.67 | +3.19% |
Ferguson’s lawyer, L. Chris Stewart, told FOX Business in a statement that she now has “long-term health issues that she is forced to deal with every day.”
Additionally, Stewart argued that her baby, which was delivered prematurely, “suffered a life-altering heart defect that will also require ongoing care.”
Police said Boyd cooperated with detectives, his gun was seized, and he handed over his cell phone as evidence. Boyd was fired as a result of the which violated Walgreens policies, according to court documents.
“We intend to hold Walgreens accountable for the egregious actions of their employee who was a team leader at that location,” Stewart said. “Following someone to the parking lot and shooting them seven times for allegedly shoplifting is outrageous conduct that cannot be tolerated by corporations around the country.”
Walgreens declined comment due to pending litigation.
