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Inset: Louis Jenkins Jr. (IMPD). Background: The area in Indiana where Jenkins allegedly shot and killed his girlfriend (Google Maps).
A tragic incident unfolded in Indiana where a 20-year-old man faces charges for allegedly killing his girlfriend. The young man is accused of discharging a firearm at close range while purportedly “playing” with it as they sat together on a couch.
Louis Jenkins Jr. was apprehended earlier this month and is now facing a charge of reckless homicide in connection with the death of 21-year-old Rebecca Carter, according to court documents.
Details from a probable cause affidavit reveal that officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department were dispatched to a residence in the 500 block of Carlyle Place around 11:45 p.m. on April 1 following reports of a shooting, as covered by local NBC affiliate WTHR.
Upon their arrival, emergency personnel discovered Carter with a gunshot wound. She was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition but succumbed to her injuries and was subsequently declared deceased, as reported by the station.
Reports indicate that several individuals, including a juvenile and two young children, were present in the home during the incident.
A juvenile witness told police Carter had been handling Jenkins’ gun while sitting on the couch and was “playing with the gun” during a FaceTime call, Indianapolis ABC affiliate WRTV reported. The witness said Carter was “kissing the gun” and at one point told Jenkins to “put it in my mouth.”
When Jenkins raised the gun, Carter reportedly lifted her hand and either grabbed it or struck the trigger, causing it to fire, according to the witness.
Jenkins gave a different account to investigators.
He told police the juvenile had been pointing a Glock handgun at him, prompting him to retrieve his own Taurus pistol from a nearby cubby to show he was also armed.
“While the gun was pointed at Ms. Carter, his finger slipped, and it hit the trigger and went off,” the affidavit reportedly said.
After the shot was fired, a witness heard Jenkins say, “Oh my God. I’m so stupid. I had one in the head,” referencing a round in the chamber, according to a report from Indianapolis Fox affiliate WXIN.
Jenkins later told police he does not typically keep a bullet in the chamber and had been “playing around” with the weapon when it discharged, authorities said. He also said he removed the magazine and threw the gun after the shooting, then called his mother and tried to help Carter by holding her neck.
While being transported by police, Jenkins made another statement about the shooting, saying, “I should have shot myself instead of her because my life is over.”
Prosecutors say the case underscores the dangers of handling firearms irresponsibly.
“What happened here is we had a group of friends who were joking around with a gun, using it in irresponsible ways, and the consequence was someone lost their life,” Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears told WXIN.
Carter’s family described her as vibrant and full of life.
“Becca was fun, and she had a tenacious spirit,” her godmother told WXIN. “We just want to let people know that life is fleeting.”
Jenkins has since appeared in court and was released after posting a $40,000 bond. He is currently scheduled to appear in court for a pretrial conference on June 2, records show.