Nationwide — Janekqua Thornton, an African American woman from Columbus, Ohio, is arrested after police say she accidentally fired a gun in a school parking lot. She claims she tripped while carrying the handgun in a bag, causing it to discharge.
Authorities responded to a 911 call on Saturday reporting a gunshot and a woman lying on the ground in the parking lot of Columbus Scioto 6-12. When officers arrived, they found Thornton walking through the lot.
According to Local 12 News, she told police she had tripped while carrying a handgun inside her bag, causing it to fire accidentally. The 911 caller had already handed over the gun to officers. No injuries were reported, and police recovered the weapon at the scene.
Security footage reportedly shows Thornton walking along the west side of the school with a black bag, her hand inside. Authorities confirmed the gun was a 9mm with one bullet in the chamber and three more in the magazine.
She is facing charges for possession of a deadly weapon in a school zone and was scheduled to appear in court on Monday. Authorities are continuing to review the incident and security footage to confirm all details