A late-night shooting inside an Indianapolis home has led to a reckless homicide charge after a 21-year-old woman was killed while a firearm was being handled on a couch, according to court records and witness accounts. Investigators say what unfolded in the living room involved multiple people, including children, and ended with a single gunshot that proved fatal.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Officers responding to reports of gunfire at a residence on the 500 block of Carlyle Place around 11:45 p.m. April 1 found Rebecca Carter suffering from a gunshot wound, according to a probable cause affidavit. She was transported to a hospital in critical condition and later died from her injuries.
Louis Jenkins Jr., 20, was taken into custody earlier this month and charged with one count of reckless homicide in Carter’s death. Authorities said several people were inside the home at the time, including a juvenile and two young children.
Witness accounts and conflicting statements
A juvenile witness told investigators Carter had been handling Jenkins’ gun while sitting on the couch and was “playing with the gun” during a FaceTime call. The witness said Carter was “kissing the gun” and at one point told Jenkins to “put it in my mouth.”
According to that account, when Jenkins raised the gun, Carter lifted her hand and either grabbed it or struck the trigger, causing it to fire.
Jenkins provided a different version of events. He told police a juvenile had been pointing a Glock handgun at him, prompting him to retrieve his own Taurus pistol from a nearby cubby. “While the gun was pointed at Ms. Carter, his finger slipped, and it hit the trigger and went off,” the affidavit states.
After the shot was fired, a witness reported hearing Jenkins say, “Oh my God. I’m so stupid. I had one in the head,” referring to a round in the chamber.
Statements, arrest, and court proceedings
Investigators said Jenkins told them he does not typically keep a bullet in the chamber and had been “playing around” with the weapon when it discharged. He said he removed the magazine and threw the gun after the shooting, then called his mother and attempted to help Carter by holding her neck.
While being transported by police, Jenkins made another statement about the incident, telling officers, “I should have shot myself instead of her because my life is over.”
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears addressed the circumstances of the case, saying, “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.”
Carter’s family described her as outgoing and energetic. “Becca was fun, and she had a tenacious spirit,” her godmother said. “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 scheduled to return for a pretrial conference on June 2, according to court records.
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