A woman said she shot her husband at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Washington, D.C., over claims he molested some of the children who attend the day care she owns in Maryland, according to an arrest affidavit.
Shanteari Weems was arrested on Thursday after police responded to a shooting on the eighth floor of the hotel around 7:40 p.m., according to police. Hotel staff reported the incident after a smoke detector went off in the room. When a staff member opened the door, he or she “observed blood on the wall,” according to an affidavit reviewed by the Washington Examiner.
EX-DC POLICE OFFICER WHO WAS BEATEN ON JAN. 6 HECKLED BY PROTESTERS OUTSIDE HEARING
Hotel guests and staff were evacuated from the building as officers attempted to enter the room to administer first aid, speaking with Weems for about an hour before forcing their way in. Police in heavy tactical gear attempted to lure the woman out, but she threatened to shoot herself if they came inside, authorities said.
Officers forced their way into the room once they determined a victim had been shot. Upon entering, the victim was found with bullet wounds to his leg and his head, although officials said they were not life-threatening.
While Weems was being detained, she made claims about her relationship with the victim, telling officers they had been married for five years and live together in Baltimore, according to authorities. Weems traveled to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday to meet her husband at the hotel and confronted him about allegations that he had molested several children at the day care she owns.
It’s not clear why the couple traveled to the district, although they told police they visit “often.” Weems again confronted her husband on Thursday about the situation, which resulted in a “full-blown argument” that led to the shooting, according to the affidavit.
As police searched the room, they found two firearms, one in Weems’s purse and another in an unlocked safe, as well as handwritten notes detailing her desire to shoot her husband.
“I’m going to shoot [victim’s name] but not kill him,” one note read, according to the arrest affidavit. “I want [victim’s name] to face the world as scum. I hope [he] gets beat up in jail.”
“I want these kids to get justice,” the notes continued. “You gonna pay.”
Weems told police she didn’t want to kill her husband but just wanted to hurt him, arguing that “she could have killed him while the police were trying to get into the room,” according to police.
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Weems told officers she had reported the molestation accusations to Baltimore police, with officers confirming to the Washington Examiner they are investigating the situation. As of Monday morning, the victim has not been charged with a crime.
Weems faces charges of assault with intent to kill, assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm without a license, and possession of an unregistered firearm. She is set to appear in court for a hearing on Monday.
