- Travonsha Ferguson was at Walgreens in Nashville in April 2023 when an employee opened fire on her because she was allegedly shoplifting.
- Ferguson was 27 weeks pregnant at the time and had to undergo an emergency C-section. The baby survived but was premature and was born with a hole in his heart
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A pregnant Tennessee woman who was shot seven times by an armed Walgreens employee who she thought was shoplifting is now suing the retailer.
Travonsha Ferguson, 25, was at a Walgreens in Nashville when she was reportedly followed by a store employee, who opened fire and shot the young expectant mother multiple times in April 2023.
Ferguson, who was 27 weeks pregnant at the time, was one of two women accused of stealing cosmetics and makeup from the Walgreens store. She almost lost her unborn baby during the ordeal.
Due to the injuries, Ferguson had to undergo an emergency cesarean section. The baby, born premature, weighed less than two pounds and was born with a hole in his heart.
Ferguson’s attorney, L. Chris Stewart, announced at a news conference Wednesday that his client is suing Walgreens for damages and negligence, including allowing an employee to use his own gun at work against an alleged robber.
Ferguson, surrounded by her lawyers, raises her arm to show where one of the bullets hit her during the April 2023 incident.
Little Raheem, now 11 months old, was born prematurely by cesarean section due to the trauma his mother suffered at the hands of the Walgreens employee. His grandmother holds him back at the press conference.
During the announcement, Ferguson, looking visibly upset, raised her arm and showed where the bullets hit her last year.
Her lawyer added: “Mrs. Ferguson did absolutely nothing to deserve being shot so many times.” One witness even said it looked like the entire magazine had been emptied.
Stewart said Walgreens is supposed to have a “no chase” policy on suspected shoplifters. The store employee was not indicted by a grand jury after the ordeal.
Boyd’s employment at Walgreens was terminated as a result of this incident and his violation of Walgreens policies, according to the lawsuit.
As a result of the shooting, Ferguson suffered internal and intestinal injuries and, as a medical necessity, must now wear a colostomy bag to survive, according to the lawsuit seen by DailyMail.com.
The lawsuit also claims that Ferugson’s baby, named Raheem, who is now 11 months old, has a heart defect that requires the installation of a device to correct it.
Her son is also at increased risk for long-term intellectual and developmental disabilities, according to the lawsuit.
Stewart argued that it was not the staff member’s job to endanger shoppers’ lives or use their own personal weapon.
Tanesha Ferguson is suing Walgreens after she was reportedly shot by one of its employees
Pictured: Walgreens where the expectant mother was shot seven times.
The lawyer said: ‘That is inappropriate. You are putting your lives in danger, your clients’ lives in danger. That’s not your job.
“It’s Walgreens’ job to make sure they hire adequate security and protect their customers.”
He further stated that he believes: “The self-defense situation is if a single shot is fired, but he said it is impossible to shoot seven times with such precision if you have been hit, which was not the case.”
“We believe they sprayed it on themselves or sprayed it into the air when they were surprised, as any pregnant mother would do who is surprised when someone runs up to them shouting insults.”
Ferguson’s distraught mother, Shantanica Ferguson, who was holding her grandson during the conference, said her daughter did not deserve this to happen to her.
“It’s been a long road and it’s not fair that she deserves justice.”