January 20, 2017 - Deputies with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Buna woman recently on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and injury to the elderly after she shot another woman in the back of the head.
Shelby County Sheriff Willis Blackwell stated that Deputy Peter Davis was dispatched to the Nacogdoches Medical Center Emergency Room in Center January 11, 2017 at approximately 7:54 a.m. Upon arrival, Deputy Davis was informed that the subject was on scene with the victim. Deputy Davis made contact with the subject, who identified herself as Brenda Northern.
Northern asked Deputy Davis if he had spoken to the victim yet. Deputy Davis advised Northern he had not. At that point, Northern stated to Deputy Davis that he should go ahead and arrest her because she had shot the victim in the back of her head with a .22 caliber gun.
Deputy Davis advised Northern she would be detained and placed her in the back of his patrol vehicle.
Investigator Birdwell arrived on scene and went inside the hospital to speak with the victim. The victim identified herself as 77-year-old Adah Phillips of Center. Phillips told the officers that Northern had hit her in the back of the head with a gun and she believed Northern was trying to kill her.
During the investigation, a bullet was found to be lodged in the back of Phillips head.
Northern is being held at the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office on bonds totaling $14,000.
