BILLINGS - An 18-year-old woman accused of shooting a man who reported her to police for stealing his car was charged Tuesday.
Kylee Jo Tushka appeared by video from the county jail for arraignment in Yellowstone County District Court and pleaded not guilty to felony charges of attempted deliberate homicide and tampering with evidence.
Judge Michael Moses set bond at $100,000 after a prosecutor said Tushka's family reported they feared the young woman was "doing drugs" and "associating with a gang."
Tushka was arrested on Sept. 16 shortly after police responded to a report of a shooting at an apartment in the 300 block of North 25th Street. The victim, a 43-year-old man, initially identified Tushka as the shooter before he was taken to the hospital for gunshot wounds to his right arm and abdomen.
Court records state an officer at the scene located three empty shell casings and one live round outside the victim's apartment door, and there were three bullet holes through the door and one hole in the wall across from the door, court records state.
The victim later told police that he had loaned Tushka his car about four days prior to the shooting and she had not returned it. They had argued about the car, he said, and he ultimately reported it as stolen and "made Facebook posts stating (Tushka) had stolen his car, court records state. Authorities have not released how Tushka and the victim are acquainted.
On the night of the shooting, just before midnight, the victim said he answered a knock at his apartment door.
Tushka was at the door wearing a black hoodie and sunglasses, he said. She was pointing a gun at him.
"She did not say anything," court records state. "She just started shooting."
Officers searched for the woman and found her a short time later outside a residence on Alderson Avenue. Officers found a handgun holster and .40-caliber ammunition box in her backpack, court records state, but did not recover a firearm. Tushka later allegedly admitted to the shooting and to getting rid of the handgun.
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