A Dallas singer was shot on stage after she finished performing over the weekend, leading to the arrest of a woman in the crowd, according to authorities.
Police said Jada Arnell Thomas, 26, was shot while signing autographs on stage after performing for the Black Academy of Arts and Letters in downtown Dallas.
Another 26-year-old woman, Micah Williams, was arrested in connection with the shooting and faces a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Police alleged that Williams fired from the crowd but have not said whether the two women knew each other.
Citing information from police, the Texas radio station WBAP reported that Williams was apparently suffering “a mental health episode” when she shot Thomas. Otherwise, media outlets said police did not release any details about a possible motive in the shooting.
Williams was taken to Dallas’s jail, where she is being held in lieu of $200,000 bail. Police said they have recovered the gun she allegedly used to shoot Thomas.
Meanwhile, first responders brought Thomas to a local hospital. The lyricist is “going to be OK”, said a Facebook post from the founder of the Black Academy of Arts and Letters (TBAAL), Curtis King.
King’s post added that “it is eerie to know that we now live in the kind of world with people who seem to be bent on doing harm to other people, many times for no apparent and sensible reason”. He asked for prayers from those concerned over the shooting.
In an interview with the local news outlet KXAS, King described witnessing the shooting, saying: “It was unreal.”
King also said he and other staff members followed Williams outside after she shot Thomas and called 911 for help.
King’s group is a local arts institution in the Kay Bailey Hutchison convention center in downtown Dallas.
After the shooting, King announced changes to existing safety measures for performances, including amplifying screening processes and decreasing the number of entry points.
“For 48 years, TBAAL has proudly maintained a tradition of safe, family-oriented events and a welcoming environment,” King said. He added that the organization “affirm[s] that our patrons are upstanding citizens who share our commitment to a safe, positive environment for all. As we continue forward, our mission to enrich the community through arts remains unwavering.”
The Dallas police department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Posts on Thomas’s Facebook page show she was shot after her final of three performances over the weekend. At the end of each performance, audience members had the opportunity to approach her and other artists to discuss the show and the process of staging it, she said.
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