Witness ‘could see the bullet hole ... it was horrible’
Man faces attempted murder charge; woman who lost baby is recovering
A pregnant woman who lost her unborn child in a shooting Friday is no longer in critical condition, said an acquaintance and witness to the double shooting.
“She is doing OK. It’s not critical anymore, but it’s still serious. The baby died inside her,” Dollie Middleton, 46, told Postmedia on Tuesday.
Middleton, who was in the same Vancouver warehouse when the shooting occurred Friday morning, saw the 31-year-old victim known to her as “Jess” immediately after the shooting.
“I heard yelling and arguing and a big crash,” said Middleton, who just moments later was stunned to see Jess walking toward her.
“She had just her halter-top on. Her belly was bare and I could see the bullet hole and a trickle of blood. It was horrible.”
Middleton told the shooting victim to sit down, got her water and phoned 911.
“She was just out of it. I was very, very concerned.
“I didn’t know if she was going to die at this point. She said, ‘He shot me.’”
Middleton said the gunman then pointed the gun at both her and a 23-year-old man who had been hit in the arm by a bullet.
Her boyfriend used a piece of wood to “daze” the assailant and Middleton threw a punch.
“I was telling him off the whole time. I was so mad,” Middleton said.
“I punched him right in the face. He went to punch me in the face but I moved and he hit my arm,” she said.
The female victim, who was in the third trimester of her pregnancy, remains in hospital.
Her male friend was treated for a gunshot wound to the arm and was released from hospital Friday.
On Monday, Vancouver police announced the arrest of 37-yearold Carleton Stevens of Surrey for what they called a “targeted” shooting.
Police have said it was not gang related.
Stevens has been charged with one count of attempted murder and one count of possession of ammunition or firearm contrary to a prohibition order. Investigators said they expect more criminal charges to be laid.
Court documents show Stevens has a lengthy criminal record in B.C.
Middleton said the woman who was shot was staying in a room at the Industrial Avenue warehouse print shop with a friend for a week because of a personal crisis. She had previously been involved in an abusive relationship, Middleton said.
Middleton said speaking out about what she saw is like “therapy” to her.
“It really, really upsets me. I cry every time I think about it,” she said.
“We don’t know what that baby would have grown up to be. He or she could have been the president,” she said.
Vancouver police have not confirmed Middleton’s allegations and said no further information will be released, as the matter is before the courts.