Actress Angie Harmon Files Lawsuit Against Instacart After Fatal Shooting of Her Dog

Actor Angie Harmon has taken legal action against Instacart and one of its former shoppers following a tragic incident at her North Carolina home. The lawsuit, filed in Mecklenburg County, accuses the shopper and the company of various charges, including trespassing, gross negligence, emotional distress, and invasion of privacy. Additionally, it points to allegations of negligent hiring, supervision, retention, and misrepresentation against Instacart. The legal action seeks monetary damages, with the exact amount to be determined during the trial.

According to the lawsuit, the shopper responsible for the incident has been permanently banned from the Instacart platform. Angie Harmon, known for her roles in TV shows such as "Law & Order" and "Rizzoli & Isles," expressed her dismay in an interview with "Good Morning America," highlighting that the situation was beyond comprehension. She emphasized that Instacart holds significant responsibility for the unfortunate events, stating that they could have been prevented.

Tragic Delivery Incident

The complaint outlines the events leading up to the distressing incident. On March 30, Harmon placed an order for grocery delivery through the Instacart app from a Charlotte store. Despite expecting a delivery from a shopper named Merle, depicted as an older woman in the app's profile photo, Harmon was surprised when a different, "intimidating younger man" arrived to deliver the groceries, as detailed in the lawsuit.

Shortly after, Harmon heard a gunshot and went outside to discover her dog, Oliver, had been shot. The lawsuit alleges that the delivery person was observed concealing the gun in the front of his pants. Tragically, the dog later succumbed to its injuries, leading to distress for Harmon's teenage daughters who were present during the incident.

The shopper claimed that he shot the dog in self-defense after being attacked. However, Harmon refuted this in an Instagram post, asserting that the shopper did not display any signs of being harmed during the encounter.

Instacart promptly suspended the shopper upon receiving the report of the shooting, ultimately deciding to permanently remove him from the platform. The company underlined its stringent background checks, prohibition of weapons, and anti-fraud measures, expressing solidarity with Angie Harmon and her family. Additionally, Instacart reaffirmed its stance of zero tolerance towards any form of violence.