A Louisiana man was arrested over the weekend after accidentally shooting and killing a pregnant 17-year-old and her unborn child inside of a moving car, sheriff's officials in Baton Rouge said.
Karrington Smith was 25 weeks pregnant when she was fatally shot by the 23-year-old suspect, Chad Blackard who was sitting behind her in a moving car on Saturday, March 12.
According to the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred just after 6 p.m. while the suspect and the victim were driving down Siegen Lane.
Blackard was allegedly "playing" with his semi-automatic handgun when he accidentally fired a single round, hitting Smith in the back, authorities said, WAFB reported.
An arrest affidavit stated that Blackard was bragging about how his gun "outperforms" a gun owned by another passenger before it was discharged.
Smith was taken to a local hospital where she and her child later died.
Blackard stands accused of negligent homicide, feticide in the third degree, and illegal use of weapons over the fatal shooting on Saturday night in Baton Rouge
He is currently being detained in the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. His bond for the illegal use of a weapon charge is set at $80,000. No bond has been set for the other two charges.
"[I] have no words to say," Smith’s friend Haley Clayton wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday.
"[I] love you more than words can ever say you were my sister from another mister. as I sit here and try to process all of this you and little Dallas Layne were my whole world my everything yall were my heart outside of my body."
"[I] remember like it was yesterday when you called me and said I was gonna be an aunt I was so happy," the post continued. "[I] tried to save you I tried so hard. you and little Dallas watch over all of us."
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