Shanteari Weems shot her husband. Weems’ husband, a former Baltimore City police officer, was accused of s*exually ab*using children at the daycare center. The sh*ooting is believed to have resulted from a confrontation between the couple.
THE BEGINNING
After learning of a second allegation of ab*use against her husband, Weems drove to the Mandarin Hotel to confront him. This incident occurred weeks after their daycare center in Maryland was closed down by Child Protective Services due to the first allegation.
According to reports, on July 21, 2022, Shanteari Weems traveled to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, D.C. with the intention of meeting her husband, James Weems Jr. However, the meeting was not a romantic one, as Weems had allegedly brought two firearms with her to the hotel. It’s believed that she planned to sho*ot her husband, who was accused of molesting several children at her daycare center in Maryland, which had resulted in its closure.
As reported by The Baltimore Sun, a fire alarm at around 7:30 PM prompted hotel staff to investigate a hotel room on the eighth floor. Upon noticing blood splattered across the wall, they immediately contacted the police.
Upon arrival, the officers found the hotel room door barricaded, and Shanteari Weems shouting from inside that she had shot a “child molester.” She then threatened to harm herself if the police entered the room.
After a standoff that lasted an hour, the police forcibly entered the room when James Weems Jr. began screaming that he had been shot in the leg and head. He was immediately transported to the hospital with severe injuries.
Following the incident, Shanteari Weems was arrested and charged with intent to ki*ll and as*sault with a dangerous weapon. However, she denied having any plans to k*ill her husband.
During a search of her belongings, the police discovered a notebook belonging to Weems. According to a report by 7News, Weems had written in the notebook that she intended to sh*oot James Weems Jr., but not k*ill him. She expressed her desire for him to face the consequences of his actions and to be viewed by society as a disgraceful individual.
Weems also wrote that she wanted justice for the children who had been affected by the alleged ab*use, stating, “You gonna pay.”
According to Shanteari Weems, the confrontation with her husband became a heated argument, which led to her sh*ooting him in self-defense when he moved towards her. However, it seems that her accusations of her husband’s alleged actions did not arise out of nowhere.
According to Shanteari Weems, the confrontation with her husband became a heated argument, which led to her sho*oting him in self-defense when he moved towards her. However, it seems that her accusations of her husband’s alleged actions did not arise out of nowhere.
According to a representative from the Baltimore County Police, James Weems Jr. is facing criminal charges for allegedly se*xually abusing at least three children while working at a daycare center.
Weems Jr. was being charged with three counts each of se*xual abu*se involving a minor, third-degree se*xual offense, second-degree as*sault, and fourth-degree se*xual offense. Additionally, he faced a charge of displaying se*xually obscene material to a minor.
Based on his LinkedIn profile, Weems Jr. served as an infantryman in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1983 to 1987 and worked as a police officer with the Baltimore Police Department from 1996 to 2005. He retired from the police force due to medical reasons but continued working with the department as a contractor until 2008. In recent years, he had been employed in private security.
DEVELOPMENT AFTER THE SHO*OTING
Shanteari Weems was lauded as a hero by many, and a GoFundMe campaign titled “Support For Shanteari Weems” raised over $3,000 before being taken down.
Supporters used the hashtag #FreeShanteariWeems on social media platforms like Twitter and TikTok to express their solidarity, with some seeking ways to donate towards Weems’ legal expenses and others demanding her release from prison.
“I was supposed to protect those children,” Shaneari Weems said in a tearful statement to the court. “My husband was supposed to help me protect those kids. I bear so much guilt because the person I chose to love and trust turned out to be the one the kids needed protecting from.”
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Michael O’Keefe emphasized the seriousness of Shanteari Weems’ actions and the need for consequences. Ultimately, Judge O’Keefe sentenced Weems to 48 months in prison for the aggravated ass*ault charge and 20 months in prison for the gun charge. The sentences will run concurrently, meaning that Weems will serve a total of 48 months in prison. After her release, she will be placed on 24 months of supervised probation.
