STEPHENS COUNTY, OK – An Oklahoma woman was fatally struck by a stray bullet on Christmas Day while sitting on her porch several blocks away from a man who was practicing target shooting with a new handgun, authorities said.
Cody Wayne Adams, 33, has been charged with first-degree manslaughter in connection with the death. He had recently purchased a Glock .45 caliber handgun as a Christmas gift to himself and was shooting at a Red Bull can in his backyard.
The victim was sitting with family under a covered porch when a bullet struck her in the right upper arm and entered her chest cavity. She had been holding a child at the time.
Investigators found a broken ceramic tile near the Red Bull can that explained how a bullet fired toward the ground traveled at a high trajectory across multiple blocks.
Captain Timothy Vann of the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office noted the dangerous setup of Adams’ makeshift firing range.
“I also noted to Adams that while he was shooting towards the ground in his backyard that there was nothing behind his property to stop any bullets from traveling beyond his property and hurting someone,” Vann said.
Adams fired approximately 18 rounds total before the deadly shot struck the victim. He later told investigators simply: “I’m sorry.”
Adams is being held on $100,000 bond with a court appearance scheduled for February 2, 2026. He has been ordered to have no contact with the victim’s family.
According to statistics, more than 400 accidental shooting deaths occurred in the United States in 2023.
