Television actress Angie Harmon has taken legal action against Instacart and one of its former shoppers following a tragic incident in March, where her dog was fatally shot during a grocery delivery at her home in North Carolina.
The lawsuit, filed in Mecklenburg County late last week, seeks to hold both the shopper and Instacart accountable for charges including trespassing, gross negligence, emotional distress, and invasion of privacy, among others. Harmon’s legal action alleges that Instacart was negligent in its hiring, supervision, retention, and representation practices. Monetary damages are sought, with the exact amount to be determined during trial.
In response, Instacart has stated that the shopper involved has been permanently banned from their platform.
Harmon, best known for her roles in TV series such as “Law & Order” and “Rizzoli & Isles,” expressed her disbelief over the incident during an interview with ABC News on “Good Morning America.” Describing the event as “unfathomable,” Harmon emphasized her belief that Instacart bears significant responsibility for the tragic outcome.
According to the lawsuit, Harmon had placed a grocery order via Instacart from a Charlotte store on March 30. The app displayed a shopper named Merle, with a profile photo of an older woman, leading Harmon to believe she was communicating with the shopper. However, when the delivery arrived later that day, it was a “tall and intimidating younger man,” not the person depicted in the profile photo.
Upon hearing a gunshot, Harmon rushed outside to discover her dog, Oliver, had been shot. She witnessed the delivery person concealing a gun in his pants, the lawsuit alleges. Harmon’s daughters, who were present at the time, were described as being distressed by the situation. Unfortunately, Oliver succumbed to his injuries at the veterinarian’s office.
The shopper claimed to police that he shot the dog in self-defense after being attacked, as reported by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. However, Harmon contested this claim in an Instagram post, noting that the shopper showed no signs of injury and his clothing remained intact.
Instacart promptly suspended the shopper following the incident and later removed him permanently from their platform. The company asserts that it conducts thorough background checks on shoppers, prohibits them from carrying weapons, and implements anti-fraud measures, including periodic photo verification to ensure shopper identity matches their profile.
In a statement, Instacart expressed sympathy for Harmon and her family, denouncing violence of any kind and confirming the permanent deactivation of the shopper’s account.
This tragic incident underscores the importance of stringent safety measures and accountability in the delivery industry, particularly when it comes to ensuring the well-being of customers and their pets.
