Twins born after pregnant woman shoots herself in head
A pregnant woman in the US is in a critical condition after gunning down her grandfather - and then apparently shooting herself in the head, police said.
Her twins were born by Caesarean and were also in a critical condition.
Police were trying to determine if Patricia Blackwell, 27, of Monroe, North Carolina, shot herself intentionally, Union County Sheriff Frank McGuirt said.
She suffered a wound to her right temple.
Ms Blackwell’s grandfather, Thomas Rogers, told investigators he was sleeping on Saturday night when he woke to what sounded like a firecracker, Mr McGuirt said.
He said he saw his granddaughter in his room and noticed he was bleeding from the neck.
They wrestled inside the mobile home and several more shots were fired before Mr Rogers, 74, forced Ms Blackwell outside, the sheriff said.
She fired at least once into the mobile home before shooting herself.
‘‘There are no witnesses to what she did outside,’’ McGuirt said.
‘‘There’s a presumption that she shot herself.’’
Mr Rogers was treated and released.
Carolinas Medical Centre declined to release further information on the babies, but Mr McGuirt said they weighed about 2lbs each.
Investigators will complete their work before deciding whether to bring charges, he added.
