Dallas singer Jada Arnell was gunned down while signing autographs on stage in a random attack

Jada Arnell Thomas, a singer from Dallas, Texas, was injured in a shocking incident on Saturday, November 2, when she was shot in the chest on stage after a performance with The Black Academy of Arts and Letters (TBAAL).

According to Dallas police, the 26-year-old girl was signing autographs for fans when a woman in the crowd opened fire and attacked her. Thomas was taken 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 arrested Williams, 26, who was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Authorities confirmed they recovered a handgun in Williams’ purse. It is still uncertain whether Thomas and Williams, who admitted to the shooting, according to ‘Fox 4’, were previously acquainted. The investigation is ongoing.

The founder and president of the Academy of Negro Arts & Letters, Curtis King, described how he chased Williams to the Thompson Hotel.

“I fell into a state of emotional rage where everything was blurry and blurred,” he recalled, according to local news outlets. “I walked out the door and said, ‘Where did she go?’ And they pointed in the direction she was going, and I saw her through the glass so I started running after her.”

King also expressed relief on social media, confirming that Thomas would recover.

Reflecting on that night, he shared that just before the shooting, Thomas thanked him for providing a “safe” environment in which to work.

“It was a packed house, people were lining up for autographs and we heard this gunshot,” King said, describing the event as surreal, almost “slow motion.” Employees quickly sprang into action, following the suspect outside and alerting authorities, who arrested her in a nearby hotel lobby.

After the incident, King expressed his concerns about the current state of public safety, noting: “It’s strange to know that we now live in a world with people who seem intent on doing harm others, repeatedly, for no apparent or reasonable reason.” He called on the community to pray for Thomas, whom he described as “strong, resilient and a devout child of God.”

King also announced that TBAAL will be implementing 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 hosting safe, family-oriented events,” he wrote, affirming the organization’s mission of promoting a safe, welcoming space for everyone while enriching the community through the arts.

The motive for the shooting remains under investigation.

— Originally published on Enstarz

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