TAMPA, FL — On Tuesday, November 25, 2025, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office arrested 44-year-old Eric Patterson in connection with the shooting of his pregnant girlfriend.
At approximately 5:17 a.m. on November 22, 2025, Brandon Regional Hospital staff notified deputies that a pregnant woman had been dropped off at the emergency room suffering from a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The individual who brought her to the hospital fled the scene immediately after arrival.
Investigators determined the victim, who was eight months pregnant, had been shot while sleeping in bed with two of her children. The bullet struck the victim in the abdomen and also struck the unborn child.
The victim underwent emergency surgery. The baby was delivered during the procedure and subsequently airlifted to Tampa General Hospital for additional surgery.
Patterson, identified as a 15-time convicted felon, was taken into custody on November 25, 2025. He faces the following charges:
- Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon on a Pregnant Female
- Tampering with Physical Evidence
- Felon in Possession of a Firearm
- Shooting at, Within, or into a Building
- Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony
- Child Neglect (two counts)
The investigation remains active.
