The bullet wasn’t meant for her—but it ended her life in an instant. Tamia Gordon, 20, was shot inside a Magnolia home on September 30 while Chase Washington, 23, allegedly mishandled a loaded gun. She was rushed to the hospital but didn’t survive. Washington now faces felony manslaughter charges. Days later, the community mourned as Tamia’s name was released. A fundraiser honors her memory—a loving daughter and college sophomore gone too soon. Candles and flowers now mark the place where her life was cut short.
The Magnolia community is mourning the tragic and senseless death of 20-year-old Tamia Gordon, whose life was cut short by a single, unintended gunshot on September 30. Authorities say Tamia was inside a home when 23-year-old Chase Washington was recklessly handling a loaded handgun. In a devastating instant, the weapon discharged, striking Tamia. Despite immediate efforts to save her life, she was rushed to the hospital and later pronounced dead.
Police have since charged Washington with felony manslaughter, citing negligence and reckless conduct as the direct cause of the fatal shooting. Investigators confirmed there was no sign of an argument or intent to harm—only a preventable act of carelessness that ended in heartbreak. The case has reignited community conversations about firearm safety and accountability.
News of Tamia’s death spread slowly at first, but when her identity was made public days later, grief rippled through Magnolia and beyond. Friends and classmates described her as a vibrant, compassionate young woman—a college sophomore with a bright future ahead. She was known for her kindness, her dedication to her studies, and the love she had for her family and friends.
In the days following the tragedy, Tamia’s loved ones launched a fundraiser to help cover memorial expenses and to honor her memory. Outside the home where the shooting occurred, flowers, candles, and handwritten notes have been placed in tribute, transforming the street into a quiet place of remembrance.
As her family struggles to make sense of the unthinkable, they are asking others to remember Tamia not for how she died, but for how she lived—with grace, laughter, and love. Her loss has left an ache that words cannot fill, and the community continues to mourn a life taken far too soon. May she rest in peace.
