A pregnant woman in East Nashville was shot after allegedly trying to steal several items from Walgreens. Doctors had to perform a cesarean to save the baby’s life.

Mitarius, a 21-year-old team leader at Walgreens, was alerted by an unidentified employee around 8 pm on Wednesday that two women had been stealing from the store. Boyd claimed that he saw the women filling a cart, and then a large bag over their shoulders, with items, and then take them to their car without paying.

Boyd later told police that he began recording the two female suspects on his cell phone as he followed them out to their car. When the women went to place the items in the trunk, Boyd said he stepped to the rear side of the vehicle, and one of the suspects drew a can of mace and began spraying him with it.

He then began to fear for his life, he later stated, claiming that he did not know whether the women were armed. So he drew his own semi-automatic pistol and fired several rounds.

Travonsha Ferguson was seven months pregnant when Boyd shot her. She was hit several times. Ferguson was reportedly shot by the second suspect, who then raced her to Nashville General Hospital and dropped her there before speeding away.

A doctor performed an emergency C-section at Vanderbilt University Medical Center after the ambulance transported Ferguson and her child. The child was thankfully not injured in the shooting. Both mother and baby remain in the hospital in critical, but stable condition.

Boyd reported the incident to 911 after the suspects had left the store. The police claimed that Boyd had cooperated with the investigation by voluntarily handing over his weapon and phone.

Boyd has told detectives that he shot at the suspects as a self-defense measure. After completing their investigation, the detectives said they would submit their findings to district attorneys, who will decide whether Boyd should face charges.

Walgreens has not responded to our comment request.