Witnesses helped direct police to a hotel lobby where they found and arrested the woman accused of shooting a singer onstage in downtown Dallas minutes earlier, according to an arrest-warrant affidavit obtained by The Dallas Morning News.
Micah Williams, 26, faces an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge after police say she shot 26-year-old Jada Thomas in the chest. Thomas was listed in stable condition after undergoing surgery, according to police.
Shortly before 6 p.m. Saturday, officers responded to a shooting call at The Black Academy of Arts and Letters inside the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas on South Griffin Street and saw a man waving his arms and screaming.
The man pointed to a hotel in the 200 block of North Akard Street and told officers the shooter was inside, police wrote in the affidavit. The report calls the hotel the “Thomas hotel” but lists the address for the Thompson Dallas.
When officers walked into the hotel with their guns drawn and called for Williams to come to them, police say she got up, grabbed her purse and turned to walk away.
Officers were able to walk over to her and detain her as she tried sitting on her purse, which had a handgun inside, according to the affidavit.
One witness told police, according to the arrest warrant, that Williams was standing beside her in line waiting for an autograph from Thomas when she heard the gun go off, turned around and saw Williams holding the firearm that was pointed at Thomas.
A second witness described an interaction with Williams earlier in the night where she appeared “really robotic and off,” according to the affidavit.
Other witnesses at the theater told officers they heard the a single gunshot then saw Williams leave the building.
Police wrote in the report that Williams said she shot Thomas and told detectives Thomas “was harassing her all of 2023.” The affidavit does not elaborate on the relationship between the victim and suspect.
Police also did not say what may have led to the shooting in the affidavit.
Williams remained in custody as of Tuesday evening in the Dallas County jail on a $200,000 bail, records show.
The Black Academy of Arts and Letters released a statement Tuesday night from Thomas’ parents, who said their daughter was “progressing very well.”
“She was shot while greeting her fans and graciously autographing the performance program at the end of the 3pm matinee show,” the statement said. “While we are incredibly appreciative to everyone’s phone call, email and desire to visit Jada, we ask that you continue to pray for her and our family and give our daughter some time and space to continue her healing!”
Curtis King, founder and president of The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, announced the day of the shooting that the organization would immediately heighten its security.
In a separate statement on Sunday, King called on the community to continue praying for Thomas and her family.
“Pray for all of us that have been blessed by Jada’s music and ministry and will continue to do so ... so stand by ... there’s more work to come from Jada [Thomas],” he wrote. “She’s courageously strong, resilient and a devout child of God!”
Staff writer Aria Jones contributed to this report.
