Argument turns to assault as boyfriend allegedly shoots girlfriend

It is a truism that guns don’t shoot people, people shoot people. However, when there is a gun available when two people are arguing it is possible that one of them will be shot.

Apparently that is what happened in Woodbine recently. A boyfriend has been accused of shooting his girlfriend. They had been arguing. The 21-year-old girlfriend is in critical condition. Her 28-year-old boy friend has been arrested and charged with assault and attempted murder in Carroll County.

The incident occurred at about 9:30 in the morning. The 21-year-old and 28-year-old live at the same address on John Pickett Road in Woodbine. Police responded after a 911 call reporting a gunshot. When the police arrived at the scene, the man was in the backyard holding his girlfriend who was wounded. A search revealed a weapon inside the home.

The 21-year-old is in critical condition at University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center. According to the American Hospital Association, critical condition is described as follows.

• The patient’s vital signs such as blood pressure and respiration are unstable and not within normal limits.
• The patient may be unconscious.
• Indicators such as pupil dilation are unfavorable.

It could have been an accident. Even so, Carroll County prosecutors have decided to charge the 28-year-old with attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault and second-degree assault in addition to felony gun charges.

Should the 21-year-old survive her injuries, her testimony could be critical to the criminal defense of the 28-year-old. He is of course innocent until proven guilty beyond any reasonable doubt.

Source: The Baltimore Sun, “Woodbine man charged in critical shooting in Carroll County,” Nov. 18, 2012