Eric Whilby, a 37‑year‑old resident of Greenlawn, New York, was indicted on multiple charges after a shooting left the mother of his two children paralyzed.
Charges and alleged motive
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office released a statement on Tuesday indicating that Whilby faces second‑degree attempted murder, first‑degree assault and second‑degree criminal possession of a weapon. Prosecutors say the incident occurred in the early hours of June 4, when he grew angry that the 40‑year‑old woman did not return home immediately after work.
According to the release, the woman was driving toward a nearby park to meet her sister when Whilby approached her vehicle and shot her through the window at close range. The bullet entered her left shoulder and struck her spinal cord, leaving her paralyzed.
Arrest and court proceedings
After the shooting, Whilby fled Suffolk County in a white 2017 Honda CR‑V. He was spotted hours later by New York State Police in Westchester County, prompting a high‑speed chase that ended near Trinity Elementary School in New Rochelle. Video shows the suspect sprinting across a field after abandoning his SUV, with troopers pursuing him through a wooded area adjacent to the school grounds.
School officials locked down the campus while officers searched for the suspect. No students, staff or families were harmed, and the field‑day activities resumed after the area was cleared. Police later recovered the handgun believed to have been used in the shooting from the woods near the school.
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Whilby was arraigned on Monday before Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski, who ordered him held without bail. He is scheduled to appear in court again on August 5 and could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted of the top charge.
District Attorney Raymond Tierney said, “The defendant allegedly shot the woman who is now recovering from very serious, life‑altering injuries. I thank all of the law enforcement agencies that assisted in apprehending this defendant and bringing him to justice.”
While the case is still pending, it illustrates how domestic‑violence incidents can quickly escalate into violent crimes that impact entire families.
The sister, who was on the phone with her at the time of the shooting, heard both the gunshot and the victim’s scream, highlighting the immediate trauma experienced by close relatives.
Her mother, brother and sister were all living in the same household, showing the broader family context of the alleged abuse. The sister’s account, combined with eyewitness testimony from a friend nearby, formed part of the evidence used to link Whilby to the crime scene.
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