Authorities in Tennessee say a man is in jail after shooting his wife and then taking her to the hospital, albeit with some delay.
According to Shelby County court records, Decarlo Pitchford, 51, is charged with one count of attempted second-degree murder, domestic assault, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and theft of property worth $1,000 to $2,500.
The incident allegedly took place on July 19 at a home on Fostoria Road in the West Junction neighborhood of southwest Memphis.
According to prosecutors, the couple’s argument began verbally before the woman decided to leave the house.
However, the defendant allegedly prevented her from leaving, according to the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office.
Then, during the chaos, a shot was fired from a 9 mm Ruger handgun, according to a complaint affidavit obtained by Law&Crime.
“I told you to stop playing with me,” the defendant allegedly told his wife after squeezing the trigger, according to the district attorney’s office, Memphis-based CBS affiliate WREG reports.
Authorities say the victim received a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
Pitchford then decided to drive his injured wife to Methodist University Hospital in his Dodge Ram, according to the affidavit.
However, he was allegedly not in a hurry.
According to police, the defendant stopped at some point during the ride to get a beer.
Earlier this week, the district attorney’s office highlighted Pitchford and the allegations against him as their “Case of the Day” in a Facebook press release. This designation came after the defendant’s charges were sustained by a judge based on a probable cause determination.
According to the affidavit, police initially responded to the couple’s house after receiving a call about a shooting and “forced entry into the residence, but the house was empty.” Then, investigators discovered the shooting victim at a nearby hospital.
“In a statement to officers, [the wife] reported that she and her husband, defendant Decarlo Pitchford, had a verbal argument,” according to the indictment. “She attempted to leave the house with her belongings, but defendant Decarlo Pitchford became aggressive and tried to keep her from leaving. She stated that he was carrying a black handgun throughout the argument. As she approached the bathroom, Defendant Decarlo Pitchford stood in the hallway, pointed his handgun, and fired one round, hitting her in the abdomen. She stated that the shooting was intentional, despite the suspect’s claim that it was an accident.
During an interview with police after being Mirandized, the defendant allegedly admitted to possessing the gun despite being a felon. He also allegedly “advised his gun was jammed and he was trying to clear it, and it went off accidentally shooting his wife,” according to the affidavit.
