The teenager accused of a mass shooting at a birthday party in Jackson has been given a $400,000 bond.
19-year-old Zykia Winford is reported to have opened fire at the party taking place at Mary C. Jones Park on Easter Sunday. Police confirmed that four gunshot victims, two of whom were minors, were discovered at the location.
All four shooting victims were transported to the University of Mississippi Medical Center for treatment immediately after the shooting went down. Winford was also injured at the scene.
Winford’s mother has vouched that her daughter was acting in self-defense. Arnotia Baker told WLBT that the 19-year-old was lured to the party without prior knowledge that people she had past altercations with on social media would be in attendance.
Baker told the Jackson TV station that Winford parked her car at the park and was immediately surrounded by people. The teen then tried to back out of the parking spot and flee the scene, according to her mother, but had people standing behind her vehicle.
That’s when she allegedly reached into her purse and opened fire, striking five people, including herself.
“Even if they are saying my daughter had shot someone, she shot someone. But if somebody is rushing [toward] you and catching you off guard, me as a human being, I got something on me and you got something on you, you’re going to try and defend yourself,” Baker told WLBT. “So, that’s what my daughter did try to defend herself.”
Baker said that Winford is remorseful that innocent parties were harmed during the chaotic incident. The teen is now facing four counts of aggravated assault.
