Woman charged in connection to Bloomington hotel shooting

A woman has been charged in connection to a shooting at a hotel in Bloomington on July 12 that left a 39-year-old woman dead.

According to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, 39-year-old Trimeanna Williams has been charged with aiding an offender after the fact in relation to the shooting death of 39-year-old Jennifer Swaggert.

According to the criminal complaint, on July 12 a housekeeper at a LaQuinta hotel in Bloomington found the body of Swaggert in a room. An autopsy found that Swaggert died from a gunshot to the face.

During the investigation, it was learned that the room Swaggert was found in was rented from July 9 through July 12.

4 in custody after woman found dead in Bloomington hotel

On July 13, Williams called the hotel saying she wanted to retrieve some personal belongings she left behind. The hotel contacted the police, who then spoke with Williams.

In speaking with Williams, the police learned that she was staying in the room with her children on July 11 through early morning July 12. Williams said Swaggert, who was her "best friend", was also in the room. Williams’ three sons and three other teenagers who were friends of her sons were also in the room. Williams also said that she and others used illegal drugs during their stay in the hotel, according to the complaint.

One of Williams’ sons, who is 12, told police that on July 11 he saw his mother with a gun and she fired a shot outside in the air. The son also said that another of Williams’ sons, a 17-year-old, was fighting with Swaggert and had pointed the gun at her for 15-30 seconds. Williams asked her son not to shoot Swaggert but the 12-year-old heard a shot and knew Swaggert was dead, the complaint states.

A 16-year-old friend of one of the sons was a witness to the shooting. They said that Williams and Swaggert were arguing when one of Williams’ sons intervened. The son ultimately fired the shot killing her, the complaint states.

The group left the hotel and headed to a nearby gas station where Williams ordered a car to take the group to south Minneapolis where they disposed of the gun.

Williams will make her first court appearance on July 21.