Julia Shields is accused of driving around Chattanooga and shooting at people. She was arrested after leading police on a car chase, police say.A new date was set Monday for the first court appearance of the Hixson woman accused of donning body armor and shooting at neighbors last week while a judge awaits the results of her mental health evaluation.
Julia Shields, 45, was charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder, seven counts of aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, felony evading arrest and felony reckless endangerment after the Dec. 26 incident.
Police responded to Shields’ Cloverdale neighborhood after several people reported she shot at their parked cars or waved guns at them. She led police on a chase after they found her in the Stuart Heights Baptist Church parking lot in Hixson. She was eventually arrested.
In court Monday were Noah Snyder, 8, and his father, Chris.
The boy said Shields pulled up to him and two friends as they rode their bikes around the subdivision. She asked if they had seen a green car, and when they said “no, ma’am,” she waved a gun at them, he said.
“She was just mad that we said that,” the boy reasoned Monday.
The Snyders and about eight others were all in court to testify as victims or witnesses. They will return Jan. 22. Hamilton County General Sessions Court Judge Gary Starnes said he expects the results of Shields’ forensic evaluation at Moccasin Bend Mental Health Center to be ready by then.
“It blows my mind,” Chris Snyder said. “I don’t understand how you could put any young kid in danger like that.”
Snyder said he hopes she gets “put away.”
Contact staff writer Claire Wiseman at cwiseman@times freepress.com or 423-757-6347.