After performing at the Black Academy in Dallas, 26-year-old Jada Arnell Thomas was shot by a fellow singer while signing autographs.

She was finishing up her show, paying her respects to the fans, when the attack happened.

Jada Arnell Thomas had finished her performance on the stage of the Black Academy of Arts and Letters. As Curtis King, the founder, recalls “It was a packed house, people were in line getting autographs and we heard this shot. It was unreal. It was like everything was in slow motion.” Out of nowhere, someone had shot Thomas in the chest before making their escape.

In the commotion, it was hard to identify who had taken the shot at the singer. No clear indicator of who would want to attempt the murder was instantly obvious. However, bystanders had picked out a suspect. The woman who had shot the weapon was identified by employees as a previous student of the school. The keen-eyed employees noted, “She has performed here at the Black Academy. She was in a summer program 10-12 years ago.”