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Police arrest Dunedin man for shooting pregnant girlfriend, lying about home invasion

 
Charles Tenpenny has been accused with aggravated assault in the shooting of  his pregnant girlfriend. {Pinellas County Sheriff's Office]
Charles Tenpenny has been accused with aggravated assault in the shooting of his pregnant girlfriend. {Pinellas County Sheriff's Office]
Published July 21, 2018

DUNEDIN — Authorities on Friday arrested a 19-year-old for shooting his pregnant girlfriend and then lying about a home invasion.

Charles Tenpenny was distraught over accidentally shooting his girlfriend, 18-year-old Naomi Rosado, who was 20 weeks pregnant, police said. So, he told investigators that a man wearing all black broke into their apartment at 1144 New York Ave., fired shots and left the scene.

While investigating the Wednesday afternoon shooting, deputies said they learned that Tenpenny attempted to die by suicide because he was so upset about the shooting.

Detectives said the two got into an argument over a Facebook friend request that Rosado had received.

Tenpenny said he pointed a loaded 9mm Glock handgun with a laser sight at Rosado as she sat on the couch. He told authorities he was turning off the laser when the handgun went off, firing a single round that went through Rosado's hand and struck her eye, according to detectives.

Tenpenny told investigators he tossed the handgun and casing over the backyard fence into a wooded area because he was scared.

Rosado was in the intensive care unit at Bayfront Health St. Petersburg and the condition of the baby was unknown, police reported.

Police said Tenpenny admitted to dealing drugs and said he always has a gun on him for protection. He was charged with one count of aggravated assault and one count of false report of a crime. He will also receive a mental health evaluation.

He was being held Saturday morning at the Pinellas County Jail on $510,000 bail.

The Sheriff's Office asks that anyone with information call Cpl. Anthony Scarpati with the Robbery and Homicide Unit at (727) 582-5808 or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS or crimestoppersofpinellas.org.

Contact McKenna Oxenden at moxenden@tampabay.com. Follow @mack_oxenden