An Oklahoma man who was firing a handgun in his backyard on Christmas Day is accused of fatally shooting an elderly woman several blocks away, authorities said.
Cody Wayne Adams, 33, has been charged with first-degree manslaughter in connection with the shooting, according to court records.
The victim was sitting on a covered front porch with family members at a home in Comanche on Thursday afternoon when she was struck by a bullet, a probable cause affidavit states. She was holding a baby in her left arm and seated on a loveseat when the bullet hit her right upper arm before traveling into her chest cavity.
First responders were called to the residence at about 3:15 p.m., the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office said. The woman was pronounced dead shortly afterward. Authorities have not publicly released her name or exact age, describing her only as an “elderly female.”
Family members told deputies they had heard five to seven gunshots over several minutes coming from north of the home. According to the affidavit, the woman remarked that someone must have received a new gun for Christmas and moments later said “ouch” before collapsing.
Investigators canvassed nearby homes north of the shooting and found that all but one residence had appropriate backstops or firing areas. That exception was Adams’ home, the affidavit states. Deputies also learned that Adams had received a Glock .45-caliber handgun for Christmas and that neighbors reported hearing him fire roughly 20 rounds that afternoon.
Adams told deputies he had been shooting the Glock at a Red Bull can in his backyard. When informed that his gunfire may have caused the woman’s death, he became visibly upset and began crying, according to the affidavit. A deputy told him that there was nothing behind his property to stop bullets from traveling beyond his yard and potentially striking someone else.
Adams’ home is located about 0.3 miles from where the woman was shot, based on addresses listed in court documents.
After being read his Miranda rights, Adams allegedly acknowledged that he had been firing the handgun southward from his property. The weapon was reportedly loaded with approximately eight rounds at one point and then 10 rounds of Winchester .45-caliber ammunition.
Deputies arrested Adams Thursday evening after consulting with the local district attorney’s office. Prosecutors allege he caused the woman’s death by engaging in firearm use that created an unreasonable risk of death or serious bodily harm and showed a conscious disregard for the safety of others.
During his initial court appearance Friday, a judge set Adams’ bond at $100,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 26.
