Mom shot by daughter says she was aggressor

Woman accused of shooting mother in neck claims 'stand your ground'

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville woman charged with shooting her mother in the neck during an argument outside of a convenience store is claiming self-defense and citing "stand your ground."

A judge on Friday listened to testimony from Shireeka Wilson (pictured below), who's charged with aggravated armed domestic battery, in an immunity hearing. The judge also heard emotional testimony from Wilson's mother, Valerie Rushing.

Hot tempered and uncontrollably angry is how family members described Rushing, who surprisingly took the stand and agreed with them that she has a problem controlling her anger.

"I planned to do what I did," she said. "I've hurt a lot of people, beat a lot of people."

Rushing admitted she planned to beat up her own daughter after being fired from her job at the convenience store where they both worked. She admitted she had mace and brass knuckles in her possession and also had thoughts of killing her own daughter and other innocent bystanders.

"I said, 'I'm going to kill everyone in the store,'" Rushing said. "I didn't care who, someone was going to get hurt."

Police said the confrontation ended with Wilson firing one shot at Rushing, which Wilson said she did in self-defense. The state attorney's office labeled Rushing the victim in this case, but Rushing told the court an entirely different story, saying she was the aggressor.

"I went after her. I was mad," she said.

Defense attorneys for Wilson said she was standing her ground and was in possession of a handgun in self-defense. Other family members also testified in Wilson's defense.

"She was always trouble," Wilson's aunt, Linda Williams, said of Rushing.

"Her temper is really bad," Wilson's grandmother, Roylene Coleman, said of Rushing.

"She just went wild on me, hitting me, and at that point I lost it," Wilson said. "I did throw a stapler at her, I grabbed the gun, I had the phone and gun in the same hand, and if I could take that moment back, that's what I'd say I did."

Defense attorneys want this case thrown out.

The judge has not yet made a ruling in the stand your ground case and will take up the issue again next week.


About the Authors:

Tarik anchors the 4, 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. weekday newscasts and reports with the I-TEAM.