That’s What You Get’: Woman Charged After Shooting Friend Over Alleged Groping Attempt

A Clarksburg woman was arrested and held without bond after authorities said she confessed to fatally shooting a friend three times after he allegedly tried to “grope her”. Claudia Torres, 19, was arrested after midnight on February 28 following the shooting of 28-year-old Austin Lamb.

According to court documents obtained by NBC affiliate WTAP, Torres called 911 and told dispatchers, “This guy who I thought was my friend tried to grope me... he tried to grope me... so I shot him three times.”

Officers arrived at Lamb’s residence in the 1000 block of 40th Street during the early morning hours of February 28. They found Lamb slumped on a couch with multiple gunshot wounds. Despite lifesaving efforts, medics pronounced him dead at the scene.

The Parkersburg Police Department said Torres was located about one mile from Lamb’s residence at a nearby gas station, where officers detained her at about 12:19 a.m.

During transport to the Parkersburg Police Department, Torres made an unsolicited statement to officers, and said she retrieved a gun and shot Lamb three times.

According to a criminal complaint, Torres, Lamb and two other people were at a bar together earlier that night when an argument broke out while they were returning home.

Witnesses told investigators when they arrived at the residence, Torres went to her truck while Lamb went inside. Torres then retrieved a gun and walked back into the home and opened fire.

One witness who was with Lamb, said Torres entered the house and fired multiple shots at Lamb. The second witness said they were outside and saw Torres leave the house and fire an additional shot before fleeing the scene.

Witnesses outside reported hearing, “That’s what you get for messing with me.”

According to WTAP, Wood County Prosecutor Pat Lefebure said during the court hearing that surveillance video supported the witnesses’ accounts. Lefebure said the footage showed Torres leaving Lamb’s home, retrieving a gun from her truck and returning to shoot him.

Lefebure asked the court to allow Torres to remain at home confinement at her mother's home in Clarksburg, arguing she was not a flight risk. Judge Wharton denied the request and ordered held without bond on a charge of first-degree murder.

Her next court appearance is scheduled for March 10.

In another unrelated incident, a 12-year-old California girl died after being hit by a metal water bottle at her school. The incident took place at Reseda Charter High School in Los Angeles when Khimberly Zavaleta tried to protect her sister from bullying.

According to the victim’s family, Zavaleta’s older sister was being bullied in the school hallway on February 17. At one point, a male student pushed her. When Zavaleta intervened to defend her sister, another 12-year-old student allegedly struck her in the head with a water bottle.