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A Black woman arrested for allegedly shooting her husband in a Washington D.C. hotel accused him of molesting kids at her daycare, according to court documents obtained by WUSA 9.
Multiple police officers responded to Mandarin Oriental on Maryland Avenue Southwest around 7:40 p.m. last Thursday (July 21) after reports of gunshots on the 8th floor. When officers arrived at the hotel room, 50-year-old Shanteari Weems, of Randallstown, Maryland, talked to authorities through the door, officials say.
Cops asked Weems to open the door so they could get to the victim, but that's when she threatened to shoot herself if they came inside, according to an arrest report.
As police officers tried to confirm there was a shooting victim in the room, Weems reportedly yelled "he's a child molester," court records allege. The victim, later identified as Weems' husband, told law enforcement he was shot in the leg. Police immediately breached the room, treating the husband and detaining the 50-year-old woman, reporters say.
While she was detained, Weems reportedly dropped a bombshell on officers. She allegedly revealed that several children at her daycare business in Baltimore recently told her the husband molested them, according to documents. She said she only wanted to wound her husband, not kill him, but admitted she wanted to take her own life, police added.
WUSA 9 learned Weems owns and operates Lil Kidz Kastle in Ownings Mills, Maryland, a suburb of Baltimore. The husband, who's been married to Weems for five years, is a retired Baltimore police officer and works as a contract specialist. Reports say he was in D.C. for an event and was staying at the luxury hotel.
Baltimore County Police told reporters the daycare has been shut down as they're monitoring the situation.
"Due to the sensitive circumstances leading up to this incident, the Baltimore County Police Department continues to support the families impacted," authorities said in a statement. "As this investigation moves forward, the daycare facility remains closed."
As for Weems, she was charged with assault with the intent to kill and held without bond. She's expected to appear in court Monday (July 25).
Many social media users were outraged by the daycare owner's arrest, calling for her release and for authorities to investigate her husband. A GoFundMe has also been set up to support Weems, but as of Monday morning (July 25), it has been taken down from the platform.
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