Inset: Decarlo Pitchford (Shelby County Sheriff”s Office). Background: A house in Memphis where Pitchford allegedly shot his wife (Google Maps).
A Tennessee man is behind bars after shooting his wife and then taking to her to the hospital – albeit in a somewhat delayed fashion – authorities in the Volunteer State allege.
Decarlo Pitchford, 51, stands accused of one count each of attempted murder in the second degree, domestic assault, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and theft of property between $1,000 and $2,500, according to the Shelby County court records.
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The incident allegedly occurred on July 19, at a residence on Fostoria Road in the West Junction neighborhood of southwest Memphis.
Prosecutors allege an argument between the couple began verbally – and eventually the woman decided to leave the house.
But the defendant allegedly blocked her from leaving, according to the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office.
Then, during the commotion, 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 upon squeezing the trigger, according to the DA’s office, Memphis-based CBS affiliate WREG reported.
The victim suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen, authorities say.
Pitchford next decided to take his injured wife to Methodist University Hospital in his Dodge Ram, according to the affidavit.
But he was allegedly not in much of a hurry.
The defendant, at some point during the ride, stopped to get a beer, law enforcement claims.
Earlier this week, the district attorney’s office highlighted Pitchford and the allegations against him as their “Case of the Day” in a press release on Facebook. This designation came after the defendant had the charges against him sustained by a judge on a probable cause determination.
Police originally responded to the couple’s house in response to a call about a shooting and “made a forced entry into the residence, but the house was empty,” according to the affidavit. Then, investigators learned about the shooting victim at the nearby hospital.
“In a statement to officers, [the wife] reported that she and her husband, defendant Decarlo Pitchford, had a verbal argument,” the affidavit reads. “She attempted to leave the home with her belongings, but defendant Decarlo Pitchford became aggressive and tried to prevent her from leaving. She stated that he had a black handgun in his possession throughout the argument. As she walked near the bathroom, Defendant Decarlo Pitchford stood in the hallway, pointed the handgun, and fired one round, striking her in the abdomen. She stated that the shooting was intentional, despite the suspect claiming it was an accident.”
During an interview with police after being Mirandized, the defendant allegedly admitted to having the gun in his possession 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.
