Gwinnett County

‘Could’ve been a kid selling candy:’ Woman shot through closed door upset shooter released

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — A woman who was shot and severely wounded when she and her husband went to a neighbor’s door to ask him to turn down his loud music, is speaking out for the first time.

“It happened so fast. It was like shocking. And I thought, ‘Oh, my God, I’m shot,’” Jalyne Jones recalled to Channel 2′s Tom Regan.

Jones and her husband say a neighbor was playing loud music day and night for over a week. At 10 p.m. on Aug. 13, they say they went to knock on the door to politely ask the neighbor to turn the music down. Before they could say a word, someone fired a shot through the unopened door.

“They didn’t say, ‘Who is it? What do you want? or Go away.’ They just shot through the door. It’s just so senseless and mind-boggling to me that someone could just do that. It could have been anyone at the door. It could have been a kid selling candy,” said Jones.

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The mother says the bullet shattered numerous bones in her right hand, which are now held together with screws and a plate.

The bullet also damaged her colon and remains lodged in her spine. She faces more operations and months of grueling recovery.

She is also upset and angry that the man police arrested, 51-year-old Alejandro Morales, was charged with reckless conduct, a misdemeanor. He was released from jail after posting bond.

“I think that charge is an injustice to the community. What does that tell people that you can just shoot through a closed door with no harm or anything happening to you?” said Jones.

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She and her husband say they have tried unsuccessfully to have the charge upgraded to aggravated assault. They have also filed a formal complaint to the U.S. Department of Justice.

“I want justice more than anything. I want him to pay for what he did because I don’t think it’s fair. I don’t think reckless conduct fits the bill for this situation.” said Jones.

The Gwinnett County District Attorney’s office said they could not comment on the case because it is still in the hands of the county solicitor.

The family has set up a GoFundMe campaign to help offset Jones’ medical costs.

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