INDIANAPOLIS — A pregnant woman shot multiple times while running from IMPD officers with her boyfriend appeared in court Wednesday to face an armed robbery charge.
Eriana Morris’ boyfriend, Ricktez Williams, died in the officer-involved-shooting near Lucas Oil Stadium Sept. 22, 2023. Morris is accused of being the getaway driver.
Police dash camera video shows the 27-year-old Williams in the passenger seat of a gray Buick LeSabre. He sticks a gun out the window and fires shots at officers in the SUV that used a Grappler device to stop the car on Missouri Street near Lucas Oil Stadium.
Three officers in the SUV returned fire. Williams and Morris, 26, got out of the car and ran. That's when officers fired more shots. Williams died. Morris was shot six times but survived. She was pregnant with Williams' child.
On Jan. 31, she came to court to face a charge for the alleged armed robbery that led to the shooting. Morris is free on bond. She said she gave birth to a baby girl on Dec. 28. Her name is Rimiracle Williams because Morris said it's a miracle that none of the bullets hit her womb.
Court records allege that Williams is responsible for robbing several dollar stores in Indianapolis on several nights in September. Investigators indicate that Morris was the getaway driver each time. Police were already tracking the pair on Sept. 22 around 9 p.m. when they saw Williams enter a Dollar General at Shelby and Raymond streets. He came out with a store bag in his hand and got in the car with Morris at the wheel. Police confirmed the store was just robbed and pursued the vehicle. The incident ended with the shooting about 10 minutes later, three miles away, near the stadium.
Morris faces a single count of armed robbery. Her attorney told the judge that he's waiting on a plea agreement offer from the prosecution, which the prosecution confirmed in court. The lawyers will meet with the judge again on March 14 for a status conference.
Morris served community corrections and just successfully completed probation in January 2023 for a 2017 robbery conviction.
Morris' father told 13News in November, when video of the incident was released by police, that he doesn’t believe police were justified to shoot as the suspects ran away with the gun still in the car.
The prosecutor's office is still reviewing the officers' actions. But IMPD says the officers have returned to full duty.