A 26-year-old singer named Jada Thomas, who performs as Jada Arnell, was shot while signing autographs after her show at the Black Academy of Arts and Letters in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday evening.
According to Dallas police, the shooting occurred just before 6 p.m. in front of an audience of about 200 people. Thomas is in stable condition, and police have arrested the suspect, Micah Thomas, 26, who faces a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Micah Thomas is currently held in the Dallas County Jail on a $200,000 bond.
An arrest affidavit indicates that Micah Thomas watched the entire performance and waited as Jada Thomas signed autographs. While standing just a few feet away, she reportedly drew a handgun and shot Thomas in the chest, then fled.
Curtis King, the academy’s founder, witnessed the incident and pursued the suspect, asking bystanders for her direction. King later saw her outside and continued to chase her.
Officers apprehended Micah Thomas in the lobby of a nearby hotel and found a gun in her purse. According to the affidavit, she admitted to the shooting and claimed it stemmed from a previous dispute with Jada Thomas. Witnesses described the suspect’s behavior as “robotic and off.”
In a Facebook post, King praised Thomas and the other performers, highlighting their collaborative efforts on the show’s two-week run. He reflected on the tragedy, noting the concerning trend of seemingly random violence and revealed that Micah Thomas had once attended the academy’s summer program about a decade ago.
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Police state that Thomas remains hospitalized as the investigation continues, and no further motive for the shooting has been disclosed.
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