NASHVILLE, TN – A tragic confrontation at a Nashville Walgreens has led to a lawsuit after a pregnant woman was shot multiple times in the store’s parking lot, resulting in severe health complications for both her and her child.
On April 12, 2023, 25-year-old Travonsha L. Ferguson was shot seven times by an armed Walgreens employee at 2500 Gallatin Road.
The employee, suspecting Ferguson of theft, did not identify himself before aggressively confronting her and her friend. In response to what she perceived as a threat, Ferguson used mace on the employee.
The shooting necessitated an emergency cesarean section, delivering Ferguson’s son prematurely. The boy now suffers from a heart defect, while Ferguson faces the ongoing need for a colostomy bag. Despite these outcomes, the employee claimed self-defense, asserting he feared for his life without knowing if Ferguson or her companion were armed. He was terminated from his job but has not faced criminal charges.
Attorney L. Chris Stewart, representing Ferguson, challenges the self-defense claim, noting the improbability of the employee accurately firing seven shots if he were incapacitated by mace. This incident has sparked an investigation by the Homicide Unit into the self-defense assertion by Mitarius Boyd, the 21-year-old Walgreens team leader involved in the shooting.
Boyd had been informed by a coworker of suspected shoplifting, leading to his decision to confront Ferguson and her friend as they loaded items into their car. The confrontation escalated when Ferguson used mace, prompting Boyd to use his firearm.
The ongoing investigation will be reviewed by the District Attorney’s Office to determine if Boyd will face charges.
