Jackson, Mississippi – A quiet night turned into a near-tragedy late on December 30, 2025, when Kyndris Brooks was shot in the neck while asleep in her car outside her home, police and family say. The bullet left her badly injured and unable to move her limbs as she fights to recover in a hospital bed. Brooks’ ex-girlfriend, Kiundria Malone, has been charged in the attack but was released on bond before Brooks was even interviewed by detectives, a development that has left the victim shaken and calling for stronger charges.
Brooks says she was startled awake in the early hours that morning by what sounded like a loud bang. Moments later she felt the searing pain in her neck. The wound was so severe and so close to her head that Brooks told reporters she believed Malone was trying to kill her. “I know she wasn’t trying to shoot me below the waist. She was trying to shoot me in my head,” Brooks said, her voice thick with emotion from her hospital room.
Emergency responders arrived soon after the shot and rushed Brooks to a nearby hospital. Doctors worked to stabilize her, but she remains unable to feel or control her arms and legs more than a week later. Family members have been by her side, offering comfort and support, even as they search for answers about how this could have happened.
Malone was quickly charged with aggravated domestic assault, but Brooks and her loved ones say that charge doesn’t reflect the severity of what happened. What stings even more, Brooks said, is hearing that Malone was released on bond before detectives had a chance to speak with her about the shooting. “It’s not fair,” Brooks said, her voice breaking. “I can’t even use my limbs and they just let her walk away.”
Police with the Jackson Police Department say the case is still under investigation, and that detectives are working to gather evidence and witness statements. The charges have since been transferred to Hinds County Court, where Malone is expected to appear for a preliminary hearing. She’s also been ordered to have no contact with Brooks.
Despite her injuries and the daily pain of recovery, Brooks is determined to heal and get back to the things that matter most. She thinks often about her children and grandchildren, and what it will mean to hold them again after months of rehabilitation. “After all this, everything means more now — time with my kids, time with my family, time with my momma,” she said softly.
Friends and neighbors in the Jackson community have rallied around Brooks’ family, offering meals, prayers, and financial support for her long journey ahead. Domestic violence advocates say Brooks’ story highlights the dangers victims face — and the importance of both swift legal action and community support when someone survives such an attack.
Brooks’ road to recovery will be long and difficult. For now, she is focused on healing and one day walking again. Each small movement, each new goal reached in therapy, is a reminder that she’s still here — alive, fighting, and surrounded by people who care.
