A Tennessee woman is in custody after she allegedly fired shots at another woman who was dropping off her child.
Freddrica Blair is charged with reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon and unlawful possession of a weapon, Memphis police said.
Police said Blair shot twice into the air at the Abundant Grace Fellowship church parking lot, while her other toddler was in the backseat of her nearby car.
The whole scene played out less than 100 yards away from high-ranking Memphis Police Department officers and a television crew, who were at the Whitehaven church for a juvenile justice workshop.
Officers said they overheard an argument taking place on the southeast side of the church parking lot. The argument quickly escalated to a shooting, police said.
After the verbal altercation, Blair allegedly got out with a gun, started screaming and fired two shots into the air in the direction of the woman, her child's father, and her other child.
“We were here for a community event and we heard a gunshot, got out of the car, and turned around to see what it was. (I) heard another gunshot, then saw a lady with a gun in her hand,” Lt. Col. Jeff Tow said. “I immediately went over there, pulled her out of the car, got the gun.”
One of Blair's children was with the other woman at the nearby car wash, alongside the child’s father. Apparently, a drop-off was supposed to happen, police said.
The mother with the gun had a girl in the backseat of her car.
Police reports said another woman was trying to apologize for previous encounters with the child.
The victim refused to prosecute and filled out a refusal form.
“You could tell that she knew she had made a mistake," Tow said.
Police said Blair placed the handgun behind the driver's seat of the vehicle when officers approached the car.
After securing the gun and the child, Tow gave Blair a stern lecture.
“She got a fatherly discussion for me as well,” he said.
The two children were picked up by a relative. It is unclear if the Department of Child Services will get involved.
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