Woman accidentally shoots friend at Starbucks

1:58 p.m. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – St. Pete Police say the State Attorney’s office is looking at filing criminal charges in the case where they say a woman accidentally shot her friend at Tyrone Square Mall over the weekend.

They say 51 year-old Pam Beck did not have a conceal and carry permit and told cops she didn’t realize the loaded gun was in her purse when she went shopping on Sunday with her friend.

11:34 a.m. Pamela Beck, 51, of Pinellas Park, was standing at the coffee shop’s counter about 4:30 p.m. Saturday, clutching several shopping bags and her purse and was about to pay for her coffee.

As Beck went to put down her purse, it dropped, and the .25-caliber semi-automatic Titan handgun she had in there went off, said St. Petersburg police spokesman Mike Puetz. The bullet hit her friend, 38-year-old Amie Peterson, who was standing behind Beck in line. Peterson was hit in the leg, above the knee, and was treated at Bayfront Medical Center and released, Puetz said.

Beck told police her father had given her the weapon, but she forgot which purse she had left it in before going shopping, Puetz said.

“She was unaware she was carrying the weapon,” he said.

Beck, who does not have a concealed weapons permit for the gun, was not arrested in the shooting, Puetz said. Prosecutors are expected to review the case, though.

 

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