HOUSTON – A woman has been charged with manslaughter after she fatally shot a man during an altercation near a north Houston funeral home Saturday, the Houston Police Department said.
Queen Ester Smith Jackson, 67, is being held on a $30,000 bond. According to an arrest affidavit, Smith recklessly caused the death of Erick Hubert, 22, by pointing and discharging a firearm while in close proximity to him at a funeral home located at 115 West Hamilton St. at around 11 a.m.
Court documents state that while attending a memorial service, an argument began between two families and carried from inside the funeral home into the parking lot. The documents state Smith said she intended to stop the argument by taking a handgun out of her purse and firing it into the air. She said she attempted to do this, but the gun didn’t fire. She then lowered it and held it in her hand, pointing away from her when the gun went off and struck Hubert in the head.
Paramedics transported the victim to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Smith is due to appear in court on Monday.