Shanteari Weems murd*ered her husband. The husband of Weems, a former Baltimore City police officer, has been accused of se*xually abu*sing children at the daycare center. The shooting is thought to have been the result of a fight between the couple
The Beginning
Finding out about a second accusation of ab*use against her husband, Weems took a car to the Mandarin Hotel to face her aggressor. This incident happened a few weeks after the first allegation led Child Protective Services to close their daycare center in Maryland.
On July 21, 2022, Shanteari Weems reportedly made her way to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, D.C. with the goal of meeting her husband, James Weems Jr. Weems allegedly brought two firearms to the hotel, so the meeting was not romantic. She is thought to have wanted to kill her husband because he was charged with se*xually abu*sing multiple kids at her daycare center in Maryland, which resulted in the facility closing.
As per The Baltimore Sun, hotel employees were investigating an eighth-floor hotel room after hearing a fire alarm at approximately 7:30 p.m. They saw blood splattered across the wall and called the police right away.
When the police arrived, Shanteari Weems was screaming from inside the hotel room that she had shot a “child molester” and the door was barricaded. Then, if the police showed up, she threatened to hurt herself.
Police forcibly broke up an hour-long standoff when James Weems Jr. started screaming that he had been shot in the head and leg. His injuries were so severe that he was sent to the hospital straight away.
After the incident, Shanteari Weems was taken into custody and charged with mur*der and ass*ault with a dangerous weapon. She, however, insisted that she had no intention of killing her husband.
Weems’ notebook was found by the police when they searched her belongings. Weems reportedly wrote in her notebook that she intended to shoot James Weems Jr. but not kill him, according to 7News. She said she hoped he would take responsibility for his actions and be looked down upon by society as a disgrace.
Weems also wrote, “You gonna pay,” expressing her desire for justice for the kids who had been hurt by the reported abu*se.
Shanteari Weems claims that her husband moved toward her during a heated argument, and she shot him in self-defense. That being said, her accusations regarding her husband’s purported behavior don’t seem to be unfounded.
Shanteari Weems claims that her husband moved toward her during a heated argument, and she shot him in self-defense. That being said, her accusations regarding her husband’s purported behavior don’t seem to be unfounded.
A Baltimore County Police representative stated that James Weems Jr. is being prosecuted for allegedly se*xually abu*sing at least three children while employed at a daycare facility.
Three counts of third-degree se*xual offense, two counts of second-degree ass*ault, one count of fourth-degree se*xual offense, and three counts of se*xual ab*use involving a minor were brought against Weems Jr. He was also accused of showing a minor se*xually graphic content.
Weems Jr. served as an infantryman in the US Marine Corps from 1983 to 1987 and as a police officer with the Baltimore Police Department from 1996 to 2005, according to his LinkedIn profile. For health-related reasons, he left the police force in 2008, but he continued to work as a contractor for the agency. He had recently worked in private security.
Development After the Shooting
Shanteari Weems was hailed as a hero by many, and before it was removed, the “Support For Shanteari Weems” GoFundMe page had amassed over $3,000.
Supporters showed their unity on social media sites like TikTok and Twitter by using the hashtag #FreeShanteariWeems. Some users sought to contribute to Weems’ legal costs, while others called for her release from jail.
As she sobbed in court, Shaneari Weems stated, “I was supposed to protect those children.” It was my husband’s responsibility to help me keep those kids safe. I regret it so much because the person I chose to love and trust was the one the children needed to be kept safe from.
Judge Michael O’Keefe stressed the seriousness of Shanteari Weems’ acts and the necessity of punishment during the sentencing hearing. In the end, Judge O’Keefe sentenced Weems to 20 months in prison for the gun charge and 48 months in prison for aggravated assa*ult. Because the sentences are serving concurrent terms, Weems will spend a total of 48 months behind bars. After her release, she will spend 24 months under supervision.
