A 35-year-old Lake Charles man has been arrested in the fatal Friday shooting of a woman and the attempted murder of her child.

Lake Charles Police Deputy Chief Franklin Fondel said Terrence Jerome Withers has been charged with one count of second-degree murder and one count of attempted second-degree murder. Judge Tony Fazzio set his bond at $1.25 million.

Fondel said at 7:11 am Friday, officers were dispatched to the 4500 block of Sale Lane in reference to a shooting.

“While responding, officers received additional information from a juvenile victim speaking to dispatchers,” Fondel said. “The juvenile victim told dispatchers that a male subject shot both the juvenile and the juvenile’s mother.”

Fondel said when officers arrived, the door to the residence was open and officers initiated verbal call outs. He said Withers came out and was detained.

“Officers entered the residence and observed a female victim suffering from a gunshot wound,” Fondel said. “Acadian Ambulance arrived on scene and pronounced the female victim as deceased.”

He said the juvenile was transported to  a local hospital with nonlife-threatening injuries and was released on Saturday.

Through the course of the investigation, the female victim was identified as 35-year-old Danielle Nichole Walker of Lake Charles.

Fondel said a verbal altercation occurred between Withers and Walker prior to the shooting

This is an ongoing investigation and anyone with additional information is asked to contact lead Detective Sgt. Willie Fontenot by calling (337) 491-1311.