South Carolina Walmart Trip Turns Into Horror as Stranger Shoots 13-Year-Old Girl in the Spine While She Shops With Her Mom
AIKEN, SOUTH CAROLINA — A routine Walmart shopping trip turned into a nightmare when a 13-year-old girl was shot by a complete stranger inside the store, leaving her with devastating internal injuries and lifelong trauma. The man responsible has now been sentenced to 28 years behind bars in what prosecutors called a horrifying act of unprovoked violence.
A Random, Unprovoked Attack Inside Walmart Leaves Child Fighting for Her Life
According to court records, 35-year-old Stephen Foreman approached teen Ashton Rickard and her mother inside the Walmart on Whiskey Road on June 7, 2023.
There was no argument.
No confrontation.
Not a single word exchanged.
Foreman simply walked up and opened fire.
The bullet from his Colt 1911 handgun — owned by his mother — tore through the 13-year-old’s body, smashing through internal organs, damaging bones, and lodging dangerously close to her spine. Doctors later described the level of internal trauma as catastrophic.
Ashton stayed conscious through the entire ordeal.
“She remained aware of how serious her injuries were,”
her mother wrote in a civil complaint.
A GoFundMe created by Ashton’s grandmother said the teen “was shot by a complete stranger.”
Shooter Pleads Guilty but Mentally Ill — Judge Orders Long-Term Treatment Behind Bars
Foreman pleaded guilty but mentally ill to attempted murder. He also received five years for a weapons charge.
His 28-year prison sentence includes mandatory long-term mental health treatment in the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
But the arrest didn’t end the case — it opened an even darker chapter.
Mother of Shooter Also Sued for Allowing Him Access to the Gun
A civil lawsuit filed by Ashton’s family claims Foreman’s mother, Stephanie Foreman, failed to secure the .45-caliber handgun used in the attack — despite knowing the extraordinary danger her son posed.
The lawsuit details a shocking 2019 incident:
Stephen Foreman allegedly used a sawed-off shotgun to assault his entire family —
holding his mother, father, and brother hostage
and forcing his brother to tie everyone with black tape.
The next day, he reportedly broke into a gun safe, stole multiple handguns, and fled.
Although he later surrendered to police, the lawsuit says his mother cooperated at first — only to refuse to testify later, which allegedly allowed him to avoid meaningful punishment.
Ashton’s family argues that had she cooperated fully, her daughter might never have been shot.
Teen Survived — But Faces a Lifetime of Pain and Recovery
The bullet remains lodged near Ashton’s spine. Doctors say the injury caused:
- Severe blood loss
- Organ damage
- Long-term mobility challenges
- Chronic pain
Her medical journey is ongoing, expensive, and emotionally devastating.
The family says her life was permanently altered — simply because she went shopping with her mother.
Civil Case on Hold, Criminal Sentence Final
The civil lawsuit against both Stephen and Stephanie Foreman is ongoing but has been temporarily paused, according to local station WRDW.
Meanwhile, Ashton and her family continue to battle through recovery, therapy, and the lasting trauma of a crime that no one could have foreseen.
For more major crime updates and developing stories from around the country, keep following ChicagoMusicGuide.com.