An Oklahoma resident is now facing charges of first-degree manslaughter after a tragic incident on Christmas Day where a bullet he fired during target practice ended the life of a woman who was with her family.

Court documents reveal that 33-year-old Cody Adams has been formally charged following the fatal shooting.

On December 25, around 3:15 p.m., deputies from the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a shooting scene in Stephens County, Oklahoma. According to the probable cause affidavit, Sandra Phelps was sitting on her front porch with a child when she was fatally struck by the bullet.

Eyewitnesses recounted to authorities that they heard gunfire intermittently from the north of where the incident occurred. Shortly after, Phelps reportedly reacted with a comment of “ouch” before collapsing. Just moments earlier, she had remarked that it seemed someone had received a new gun for Christmas.

The Stephens County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the shot fired by Cody Adams during target practice in his backyard was the one that tragically killed the woman on that day.

Investigators determined the bullet entered Phelps’ upper right arm and traveled into her chest, consistent with a steep downward angle.

A canvass of nearby properties identified one residence without a suitable shooting backstop, which belonged to Adams, according to the affidavit.

Adams told deputies he had been shooting a new Glock .45-caliber handgun he bought for himself for Christmas, and he showed police where he had been shooting in his backyard at a Red Bull on the ground.

The Stephens County Sheriff’s Office investigated a Christmas Day shooting that left a woman dead, authorities said. (Stephens County Sheriff’s Office)

The affidavit states that “there was nothing behind his property to stop any bullets from traveling beyond his property and hurting someone.”

Investigators also found spent shell casings and a piece of broken ceramic tile in front of the target, which they say likely caused the bullet’s altered trajectory, according to the affidavit.

An Oklahoma man has been charged with first-degree manslaughter in connection with a Christmas Day shooting in Stephens County, court records show. (iStock)

Adams later told police he was “sorry” and “became visibly upset” after being informed they believed his bullet caused Phelps’ death.

Adams appeared in court on Friday and was released on a $100,000 bond, according to court records.