Friends Rally For Woman Charged By Police In Flanders Shooting

FLANDERS, NY — Friends are standing strong behind a woman charged with shooting a man during a reported domestic dispute in Flanders.

A GoFundMe page, "Support for Patchita Tennant," was created by Kamishka O'Connor of Riverhead.

Tennant, O'Connor wrote, is a "victim of domestic violence for over ten years fighting the legal battle of her life. . . Please join in with friends and family in supporting her recovery from domestic violence. We urgently need your help. All funds will go to providing our legal support."

O'Connor added: "Your consideration, prayer, and financial donations will make a real difference to the lives of herself and her daughter as we seek to rise again and overcome this dark chapter in her life. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts and appreciate your support."

Earlier in September, Tennant, the mother of 3-year-old girl who was believed to have been abducted after a shooting in Flanders turned herself in — and the child was found safe, police said.

Patchita Tennant, 42, of Riverhead, is known as a popular pharmacy employee in East Hampton; she turned herself in to Southampton Town Police detectives, police said. She was charged with first degree assault, a felony, and criminal use of a firearm, a felony, police said.

Tennant was held for morning arraignment at Southampton Town Justice Court, police said.

According to Southampton Town Police Chief Steven Skrynecki, Tennant was arrested following a multi-agency investigation and search for the 3-year-old-child. The Suffolk County Police Department, New York State Police, Riverhead Police, East Hampton Town Police, U.S. Marshals, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office all helped with the search, he said.

The child, Vanessa Tennant-Mitchell, was not in the car when it was located and had been reportedly found with a relative, police said.

"The use of Amber Alert allows the public as well as law enforcement to be aware of missing or abducted children," Southampton Town Police Lt. Susan Ralph said. "It was through the Amber Alert that the relative realized there was a report of the 3-year old missing. The relative immediately contacted law enforcement so we could confirm the child was unharmed."

Child Protective Services are involved with the case, police said

Southampton Town Police activated the New York State Amber Alert Friday; police said they were investigating a child abduction that took place near Pleasure Drive in Flanders.

Southampton Town Police said they received a call from a man who said he had been shot; patrol units were immediately dispatched to the home, police said.

Police found Andrew Mitchell, 46, of Flanders shot multiple times, police said. Mitchell was conscious and alert and able to tell officers the mother of his child had shot him during a domestic dispute, police said.

Tennant fled the area with their 3-year-old daughter and was not immediately located, police said.

Mitchell was airlifted by Suffolk County Police aviation to an area hospital for treatment, police said.

According to a report in the Riverhead News-Review, Austin Manghan, Tennant's attorney, said she shot her estranged boyfriend in self-defense; the gun was his and she was trying to wrestle it away for him when it went off, Manghan said.

Newsday reported that Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney Eric Aboulafia said Tennant, who thought Mitchell was having an affair, allegedly banged on the door and and screamed, “I’m going to kill you! I’m going to kill myself!”

Newday also reported that there have been conflicting reports swirling around what transpired: Manghan, Newsday said, reportedly said that his client had gone to the home to pick up additional clothes for her daughter, who was with a relative and not present during the shooting. The Newsday article said Mitchell allegedly grabbed Tennant and got the gun from a safe in the home; the two struggled for the gun, Manghan reportedly said. The incident was part of a "pattern of abuse" by Mitchell toward Tennant, Manghan said, in the Newsday piece.

The GoFundMe post said Tennant she was in a legal battle after the incident with her "abuser."

A post in cbslocal.com said Southold Police said they had no record of domestic violence calls from the home.