Almost Like the Wild West': School Bus Fight Between Students Ends in Deadly Shooting Between Mothers

(Image: WVVA screenshot)

What started as a school bus fight between two students escalated to a row between the girl's mothers where one is now dead and the other in jail with charges of first degree murder.

According to WVVA, the shooting occurred Thursday in Mercer County, West Virginia after Judith Kowaleski and Elizabeth Slagle reportedly had calls and exchanged texts before they met that night. The reporter recounts police saying "it was almost like the Wild West" in that the women set up a time that they would meet to settle the issue between their daughters.

After a series of events, Slagle was killed by a single shot to the chest.

(Image: WVVA screenshot)

"Some kids got into an argument on a school bus and it spilled over from there,” Sgt. D.W. Miller said, according to the Bluefield Daily Telegraph.

WVVA reports the criminal complaint stating that Kowaleski's boyfriend George Slagle (the relationship to Elizabeth Slagle is not explained) said Elizabeth Slagle used a Taser-like weapon on Kowaleski and Kowaleski's aunt, Barbara Harrington, who was also there. George Slagle said in the police report that Kowaleski shot Elizabeth Slagle.

Kowaleski told police the gun discharged accidentally when she was fighting off Elizabeth Slagle, who Kowaleski also claimed had threatened her with a firearm and ran toward her holding an object.

Judith Kowaleski is being charged with first degree murder. (Image: WVVA screenshot)

Here is the report showing Kowaleski in custody and the scene of the crime:

WVVA TV Bluefield Beckley WV News, Weather and Sports

Police found the gun thought to be used in the slaying of Elizabeth Slagle at Kowleski's home, where Harrington said she took it after the shooting.

As of Friday, WVVA reported that Kowaleski was being held without bond. WVVA reported too that the police were seeking a warrant to obtain the content of the text messages exchanged between the two women before they met.

(H/T: Daily Mail)