Man charged with reckless homicide in fatal shooting

Summary: Rebecca Carter, 21, was fatally shot in Indianapolis, Indiana, on April 1 while on a couch with her boyfriend, Louis Jenkins Jr., 20, as he handled a handgun. Court records show the weapon discharged when Jenkins’ finger slipped on the trigger after Carter interacted with it in front of a juvenile witness. The 20-year-old now faces reckless homicide charges in her death, reports say.

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INDIANAPOLIS — A 20-year-old man is facing a reckless homicide charge after police say he accidentally shot and killed his 21-year-old girlfriend while the couple sat on a couch handling a handgun late at night.

The shooting occurred shortly before midnight on April 1 at a residence in the 500 block of Carlyle Place on the city’s east side. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers arrived after receiving 911 calls reporting a person shot inside the home. They found Rebecca June Carter suffering from a gunshot wound to the neck. Paramedics transported her to a hospital in critical condition, where she died less than two hours later. The Marion County coroner’s office ruled the death a homicide caused by the gunshot wound to the neck.

Court records describe the moments leading up to the discharge. A juvenile who was inside the home told detectives that Carter had been playing with her boyfriend’s handgun while on a FaceTime call. According to the juvenile, she kissed the gun and told Louis Jenkins Jr. to put it in her mouth. As Jenkins raised the weapon, Carter lifted her hand, either grabbing the gun or striking the trigger, and it fired at close range.

Jenkins provided a similar but slightly different account to investigators. He said the juvenile had been pointing another firearm at him, so he retrieved his Taurus handgun from a compartment on the couch to show he was armed. While the pistol was pointed toward Carter, Jenkins told police, his finger slipped on the trigger. He added that he normally does not keep a round chambered but realized afterward that one had been present. Immediately after the shot, Jenkins was heard saying, “Oh my god. I’m so stupid. I had one in the head.” He removed the magazine, set the gun aside, and tried to stop the bleeding by holding pressure on Carter’s neck before seeking help.

One of the 911 callers reported that Carter’s boyfriend had shot her “in the mouth on accident.”

Jenkins was taken into custody and charged with one count of reckless homicide, a Level 5 felony. He posted a $40,000 bond following his initial court appearance and is scheduled for a pretrial conference on June 2.

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Court documents: Indianapolis man charged with reckless homicide in shooting of girlfriend

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‘I’m so stupid’: Man fatally shot girlfriend while ‘playing’ with gun on couch, police say