The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has arrested 44-year-old Eric Patterson after a violent shooting left a pregnant woman and her unborn child critically injured.
On November 22, 2025, at 5:17 a.m., Brandon Regional Hospital notified deputies that a pregnant woman had been dropped off with a gunshot wound to her abdomen. Hospital staff reported that the man who brought her fled immediately.
Detectives identified Patterson, a 15-time convicted felon, as the suspect. Investigators learned the victim, eight months pregnant, was sleeping in bed with two of her children when Patterson shot her. The bullet struck both her and her unborn baby.
The mother underwent emergency surgery, and the baby was delivered and airlifted to Tampa General Hospital for surgical care.
On November 25, Patterson was taken into custody and faces multiple charges, including:
- Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon on a Pregnant Female
- Tampering with Physical Evidence
- Felon in Possession of a Firearm
- Shooting at or Within a Building
- Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony
- Child Neglect (two counts)
Sheriff Chad Chronister stated, “What could have ended as a heartbreaking tragedy is now a miracle story of survival and resilience. Both mother and baby surviving is extraordinary, and our detectives worked tirelessly to bring the suspect into custody.”
The investigation remains active.
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