MCCOMB, Miss. (AP) - A Mississippi councilwoman was arrested and accused of firing a gun and attacking a woman in a Walmart parking lot on Saturday, police said.
Summit Councilwoman Pauline Monley turned herself in Monday after a viral Facebook video appears to show Monley with a gun, firing a shot toward one person and later assaulting a woman, news outlets reported.
McComb Police Chief Garland Ward said Monley was charged with domestic violence, simple assault and discharging a firearm.
The Facebook video shows a woman wearing a pink long sleeved shirt and khaki shorts walking with a gun and shouting, “You’re going to jail.” The woman then fires a shot and walks in the opposite direction.
She later approaches another woman and begins hitting her in the head while still holding the firearm.
According to WLBT-TV, one of the victims identified herself as Lillian Martin. Martin told the news outlet that her fiancé is Monley’s ex-girlfriend. Martin said she ran from Monley when someone screamed that she had a gun.
After being released from jail, Monley told WJTV-TV the video does not tell the whole story. Monley told the news outlet she was attacked first, so she grabbed her gun in self-defense.
“She hit me across my head. As she hit me, I stumbled. My glasses fell on the ground. I picked them up, and as she was still coming at me, I grabbed my gun. It was all in self-defense on my part,” said Monley.
Summit Mayor Percy Robinson said Monley has done a good job as a councilwoman. He also said it’s not his decision whether she stays on the council.
It’s unclear whether Monley had an attorney who would comment on her behalf.
Summit is in Pike County and has a population of around 1,700 people. The town is about 77 miles (124 kilometers) west of Hattiesburg.
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