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

A 20-year-old antheral successful Indiana is accused of killing his girlfriend, allegedly shooting her astatine point-blank scope portion "playing" with a firearm arsenic the 2 were sitting connected a couch.

Louis Jenkins Jr. was taken into custody earlier this period and charged with 1 number of reckless homicide successful the decease of 21-year-old Rebecca Carter, tribunal records show.

According to a probable origin affidavit, officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to a location successful the 500 artifact of Carlyle Place astir 11:45 p.m. April 1 regarding reports of a shooting, section NBC affiliate WTHR reported.

Upon arriving, archetypal responders recovered Carter suffering from a gunshot wound. She was transported to a section infirmary successful captious condition. She aboriginal succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead, according to the station.

Investigators reportedly said aggregate radical — including a juvenile and 2 young children — were wrong the location astatine the clip of the shooting.

A juvenile witnesser told constabulary Carter had been handling Jenkins' weapon portion sitting connected the sofa and was "playing with the gun" during a FaceTime call, Indianapolis ABC affiliate WRTV reported. The witnesser said Carter was "kissing the gun" and astatine 1 constituent told Jenkins to "put it successful my mouth."

When Jenkins raised the gun, Carter reportedly lifted her manus and either grabbed it oregon struck the trigger, causing it to fire, according to the witness.

Jenkins gave a antithetic relationship to investigators.

He told constabulary the juvenile had been pointing a Glock handgun astatine him, prompting him to retrieve his ain Taurus pistol from a adjacent cubby to amusement helium was besides armed.

"While the weapon was pointed astatine Ms. Carter, his digit slipped, and it deed the trigger and went off," the affidavit reportedly said.

After the changeable was fired, a witnesser heard Jenkins say, "Oh my God. I'm truthful stupid. I had 1 successful the head," referencing a circular successful the chamber, according to a report from Indianapolis Fox affiliate WXIN.

Jenkins aboriginal told constabulary helium does not typically support a slug successful the enclosure and had been "playing around" with the limb erstwhile it discharged, authorities said. He besides said helium removed the mag and threw the weapon aft the shooting, past called his parent and tried to assistance Carter by holding her neck.

While being transported by police, Jenkins made different connection astir the shooting, saying, "I should person changeable myself alternatively of her due to the fact that my beingness is over."

Prosecutors accidental the lawsuit underscores the dangers of handling firearms irresponsibly.

"What happened present is we had a radical of friends who were joking astir with a gun, utilizing it successful irresponsible ways, and the effect was idiosyncratic mislaid their life," Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears told WXIN.

Carter's household described her arsenic vibrant and afloat of life.

"Becca was fun, and she had a tenacious spirit," her godmother told WXIN. "We conscionable privation to fto radical cognize that beingness is fleeting."

Jenkins has since appeared successful tribunal and was released aft posting a $40,000 bond. He is presently scheduled to look successful tribunal for a pretrial league connected June 2, records show.