Pregnant woman struck by gunfire in Palmetto road rage shooting served in Afghanistan, family says
PALMETTO, Fla. - A pregnant woman who was shot multiple times in a road rage shooting in Palmetto last week has been released from the hospital, her family reported.
Investigators say on May 6, a woman pregnant with twins was shot three times by a Riverview man after the two got in a collision in Palmetto.
According to authorities, Vincent Steele, 50, tried to pass a car that the woman was a passenger in but didn't leave enough space to merge, and his car was struck.
After the two cars collided, investigators say Steele fired seven rounds into the passenger side door where the woman was sitting. The 36-year-old woman was hospitalized and eventually taken to Tampa General Hospital.
According to her family, the victim is a disabled veteran who served in Afghanistan and says she had never seen anything like this in war and never imagined she could almost lose her life at home and not overseas.
They told FOX 13 she faces a long road ahead to recovery, including more surgery and extensive physical therapy. The family added that one bullet shattered the woman's pelvic bone and bullets were one inch away from the placenta.
READ: Twins' heartbeats 'normal' after pregnant mother injured in Palmetto road rage shooting
Steele was charged with five counts of attempted murder, and he made an appearance in court on Tuesday for a risk protection order, which the judge granted through May 14, 2025.
The order prohibits Steele from owning or possessing a firearm or a concealed carry permit. He was also ordered to receive a mental health evaluation, including a violence risk assessment and a drug evaluation.
The victim's family told FOX 13 that the woman saved the lives of her fiancé and 9-year-old daughter who were also in the car by shouting, ‘He has a gun.’ Yet, she was the one who was hit.
They said a 9-year-old missed being struck by a bullet by a few inches.
As of the last update, the twins the victim is carrying had normal and stable heartbeats; neither were struck by a bullet.
The victim's family says they truly believe God saved them and was watching over them in the truck that day.
Steele's daughter, Adora, spoke to a judge at a prior hearing and said he had just picked up his wife, who was sick, from work.
"My father has always been a good person at heart, never really been an aggressor at heart," Adora said.
On Tuesday, Steele had the opportunity to address his victim’s family but declined the offer.
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