Aiken, South Carolina – A shocking case of random gun violence unfolded inside a Walmart on Whiskey Road when a 13-year-old girl was shot in the spine by a man she had never met.
Authorities confirmed that 35-year-old Stephen Foreman will now spend decades in prison after admitting to the attack, which left the young teen with severe internal injuries and long-term trauma.
Foreman was sentenced to 28 years in prison, along with mandatory mental health treatment, after pleading guilty but mentally ill to attempted murder. He also received an additional five-year sentence for possessing a weapon during a violent crime, according to court records reviewed by Law&Crime.
The Incident Inside Walmart
The terrifying shooting happened on June 7, 2023, when Ashley Rickard and her daughter Ashton Rickard, then 13, were shopping as they normally did. According to a civil lawsuit filed in April 2024, the pair were on their way through the store when Foreman approached them.
Without warning and “without provocation,” Foreman pulled out a Colt 1911 .45-caliber handgun and fired at the young girl.
The bullet “tore through” Ashton’s body, ripping through organs and bones before lodging near the lower section of her spine. The lawsuit states that the gunshot caused extensive internal damage, severe blood loss, and ongoing medical complications.
Despite the trauma, Ashton remained conscious.
Her mother wrote in the lawsuit that the teen was “fully aware of the seriousness of her injuries” as she lay bleeding on the Walmart floor.
A GoFundMe created by Ashton’s grandmother described the horror plainly, writing that Ashton “was shot by a complete stranger.”
Weapon Was Belonging to the Shooter’s Mother
The civil lawsuit also targets Stephanie Foreman, the shooter’s mother, because the firearm used in the attack belonged to her. According to the filing, Stephanie “unreasonably entrusted or unreasonably failed to secure” the handgun, allowing her son—known to have a history of severe mental illness—to access it.
The lawsuit notes that Stephanie was well aware of her son’s past violent behavior. In 2019, Stephen allegedly used a sawed-off shotgun to assault and hold hostage his mother, father, and brother in their own home.
According to the filing:
“He forced his brother to tie the family up with black tape and then broke into a gun safe, stealing several handguns before fleeing.”
The lawsuit further claims that although Stephanie initially cooperated with police, she later refused to testify truthfully, ultimately preventing Stephen from receiving appropriate punishment for that earlier incident.
Timeline of Events and Legal Response
Following his guilty plea in the Walmart shooting, Foreman was classified as mentally ill but criminally responsible. The court emphasized that he must receive long-term psychiatric care during his incarceration at the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
The civil lawsuit seeks damages from both Stephen and his mother Stephanie, citing negligence, unsafe gun storage, and failure to prevent foreseeable harm.
As of Wednesday, court documents indicate that the civil action has been temporarily paused, though it remains active.
Wider Concerns About Gun Safety and Mental Health
The case highlights growing concerns about unsecured firearms and lapses in mental-health monitoring. Experts say that incidents like this are preventable when families follow strict gun storage rules—especially when a household member has a known history of violent or unstable behavior.
Gun-safety advocates stress the importance of:
- Secure gun safes
- Trigger locks
- Clear reporting of dangerous behavior
- Limited access for individuals with violent history
In many states, failure to secure a firearm can lead not only to civil liability but also criminal charges if the weapon is later used in a violent act.
Community Impact
Residents in Aiken have expressed shock that such a random and brutal attack happened in a family shopping environment. Many shoppers say they now feel uneasy, particularly because the attack was unprovoked and targeted a child.
Local health officials have shared that spinal injuries in children often require years of rehabilitation, repeated surgeries, and psychological counseling.
Conclusion
The Walmart shooting serves as a grim reminder of the devastating consequences of unsecured guns and unaddressed mental-health crises. As Ashton continues her long recovery, her family hopes the legal system brings accountability and prevents similar tragedies in the future.
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