A 33-year-old Oklahoma resident has been charged with first-degree manslaughter after authorities say his backyard target practice on Christmas Day resulted in the fatal shooting of an elderly woman several blocks from his home, reports Baltimore Chronicle with reference to court documents and the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office.
According to investigators, Cody Wayne Adams was firing a handgun in his backyard on Thursday afternoon when a bullet traveled beyond his property and struck a woman sitting on a covered front porch at a residence in Comanche. The probable cause affidavit states that the woman was seated on a love seat with family members nearby and was holding a baby in her left arm when she was hit in the right upper arm. The projectile then entered her chest cavity, causing fatal injuries.
First responders were dispatched to the home at approximately 3:15 p.m., the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office reported. Despite emergency efforts, the woman was pronounced dead shortly after. Authorities have not publicly released the victim’s name or exact age, identifying her only as an elderly female in official statements.
Family members told a responding deputy that they had heard between five and seven gunshots over several minutes coming from the north of the residence. According to the affidavit, moments before being struck, the woman remarked that someone nearby had likely received a new gun for Christmas. Shortly afterward, she reportedly said “ouch” and collapsed.
As part of the investigation, law enforcement canvassed multiple properties north of the shooting location. Investigators noted that all nearby residences, except Adams’ home, had appropriate shooting backstops or designated firing locations. Deputies also received information indicating Adams had received a Glock 45 handgun for Christmas and that neighbors heard him firing approximately 20 rounds that afternoon.
When deputies arrived at Adams’ residence, he allegedly told them he had been shooting at a Red Bull can in his backyard using the Glock 45 he had recently purchased. After a deputy suggested the shooting could be connected to the woman’s death, Adams reportedly became visibly distressed and began to cry. Deputies informed him that firing toward the ground without a proper backstop allowed bullets to travel beyond his property, posing a danger to others. The affidavit notes that Adams’ home is located about 0.3 miles from where the woman was shot.
After being advised of his Miranda rights, Adams allegedly acknowledged that he had been firing the handgun southward from his property. The firearm was loaded with approximately eight and later 10 rounds of Winchester .45-caliber ammunition, according to investigators.
Following consultation with the local district attorney’s office, deputies arrested Adams on Thursday evening on a charge of first-degree manslaughter. The charging document alleges that he caused the woman’s death by engaging in firearm-related conduct that created an unreasonable risk of death or serious bodily harm and demonstrated a conscious disregard for the safety of others.
During his initial court appearance on Friday, Adams’ bond was set at $100,000, according to online court records. A preliminary hearing in the case has been scheduled for Feb. 26. Attempts by ABC News to reach Adams or his attorney for comment were unsuccessful.
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