Armed carjacking suspect used her 5-year-old child as a 'shield' after firing gun during attack: Police

A Tennessee woman suspected of committing a series of recent armed car thefts used her own young child to protect herself after she fired a weapon during one attack, police say.

It appears that Bethany Wilson, a 24-year-old mother from Goodlettsville, Tennessee, had a busy day on December 22. According to a report, Wilson stole at least three vehicles in a matter of hours that day and was apprehended only after she crashed one of the vehicles.

At about 4:40 p.m., police received a report that a female suspect had approached a 51-year-old woman while she was pumping gas in Clarksville, about an hour northwest of Goodlettsville. The suspect drew a weapon and subsequently stole the victim's Nissan Juke.

About 30 minutes later, the Clarksville police received a report that a female suspect had stolen a man's black Mercedes-Benz from a gas station about three miles away from the first attack. During the second incident, the suspect not only drew a weapon but fired it. She then "used her child as a shield," a police report states. The man ran, and the suspect managed to steal his vehicle as well.

Through their investigation, Clarksville police zeroed in on Wilson as a possible suspect. They then learned that Tennessee Highway Patrol also suspected Wilson in connection to a stolen silver Ford F-150, which had crashed and been left abandoned near mile marker 16 on I-24.

A tip led Clarksville police to a Days Inn near I-24 Exit 11, just a few miles from where the silver F-150 was discovered. There, police found Wilson and her 5-year-old child, whom they claimed was "safe." They placed Wilson under arrest and charged her with two counts of aggravated robbery. Other charges could be issued as well.

Both the Nissan Juke and the Mercedes were recovered shortly after they were stolen. The Juke was found in a parking lot near the gas station where the Mercedes was stolen. The Mercedes was found by deputies in Cheatham County, which is about 40 miles from where it was stolen. Whether the Mercedes itself was found in Cheatham County and whether either of the two stolen vehicles were damaged are both unclear.