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Las Vegas woman arrested after fatal shooting of her boyfriend

A woman is in custody after police say she fatally shot her boyfriend Sunday night in central Las Vegas.

Shanika Smith, 37, is charged with open murder and child abuse/neglect, according to jail records. She is being held without bail at the Clark County Detention Center.

Police were initially called to an apartment on the 900 block of East Twain Avenue at 10:05 p.m. Sunday night after Smith reported she accidentally shot the man. Officers found a man they identified Jahmal Rogers suffering from a gunshot wound, according to an arrest report released Tuesday by the Metropolitan Police Department.

Smith told police Rogers started chasing their 1-year-old son around pointing a shotgun at him as a game. Smith said she thought the gun was not loaded and “the child was laughing,” according to the arrest report.

Smith and Rogers started fighting for the gun when Smith said she pulled the trigger accidentally.

Her 17-year-old was also home at the time, police said.

Smith is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.

Contact Jonah Dylan at jdylan@reviewjournal.com. Follow @TheJonahDylan on Twitter.

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