Jada Arnell Thomas, a Dallas, Texas, based singer, was injured in a shocking incident on Saturday, November 2, when she was shot in the chest onstage after a performance with The Black Academy of Arts and Letters (TBAAL).
According to Dallas police, the 26-year-old was signing autographs for fans when a woman in the crowd opened fire, striking her. Thomas was rushed to a local hospital by Dallas Fire Rescue and is currently in stable condition.
Witnesses at the event identified the shooter as Micah Williams. Police have since arrested Williams, 26, who was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Authorities confirmed they had recovered a handgun from Williams' purse. It's still uncertain whether Thomas and Williams, who admitted to the shooting, per 'Fox 4,' were previously acquainted. The investigation is ongoing.
The founder and president of the Black Academy of Arts & Letters, Curtis King, described how he chased after Williams on foot to the Thompson Hotel.
"I went into a state of emotional rage where everything was blur and blurring," he recalled, per the local news outlet. "I went out the door and said, 'Where did the lady go?' And they pointed in the direction where she went. I saw her through the glass doors, and so I just started running after her."
King also expressed relief on social media, confirming that Thomas would recover.
Reflecting on the night, he shared that just before the shooting Thomas had thanked him for providing a "safe" environment to work in.
"It was a packed house, people were in line getting autographs, and we heard this shot," King said, describing the event as surreal, almost in "slow motion." Staff members quickly acted, following the suspect outside and alerting the authorities, who apprehended her at a nearby hotel lobby.
In the wake of the incident, King voiced his concerns about the current state of public safety, noting, "It is eerie to know that we now live in the kind of world with people who seem to be bent on doing harm to other people, many times for no apparent and sensible reason." He called on the community for prayers for Thomas, whom he described as "courageously strong, resilient, and a devout child of God."
King also announced that TBAAL will implement additional safety protocols for future events, such as reducing entry points to better control access and prevent weapons from entering their venues. "For 48 years, TBAAL has proudly maintained a tradition of safe, family-oriented events," he wrote, affirming the organization's mission to foster a welcoming, secure space for all while enriching the community through the arts.
The motive for the shooting remains under investigation.
-- Originally published in Enstarz
