INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — An Indy man is accused of accidentally shooting and killing his girlfriend while playing with a gun on the couch, according to court documents.
Louis Jenkins Jr., 20, is charged with reckless homicide in the death of 21-year-old Rebecca Carter.
The shooting happened April 1 at a home on Indy's east side in the 500 block of Carlyle Place, police said.
Police were called to the home just before midnight, after two 911 calls from people inside the home. One caller said Carter's boyfriend had "shot her friend in the mouth on accident."
Officers found Carter suffering from gunshot wounds to her neck and head. She later died in the hospital.
A juvenile witness told detectives he saw Carter playing with Jenkins' gun minutes before the shooting. Carter was on FaceTime with someone and "kissing the gun," according to court documents.
The juvenile said Carter told Jenkins to "put it in my mouth." When Jenkins raised the gun, Carter reportedly put her hand up and either grabbed the gun or hit the trigger, causing it to fire.
Jenkins gave a different account to police.
He said the juvenile had been pointing an empty Glock at him. Jenkins then pulled out his Taurus G3 handgun 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," according to the affidavit.
Jenkins told police he never keeps a bullet in the chamber.
After the shooting, Jenkins made a statement to police saying "I should have shot myself instead of her because my life is over," court documents state.
The coroner ruled Carter's death a homicide caused by a gunshot wound to the neck.
Jenkins was arrested and transported to the Marion County jail.
