Angry wife fires shot in Newport church

Angry wife fires shot in Newport church

By KRISTYN HENTSCHEL
6 News Reporter 

NEWPORT (WATE) -- The Cocke County Sheriff's Department says a wife who was angry with her soon-to-be ex-husband fired a shot in a Newport church Wednesday night.

Investigators say Jannet Compton, 44, walked into the Hilltop Baptist Church at 120 Mccabe Avenue with a gun. Someone in the church saw this and called 911 before Compton fired.

In the background of the 911 call, you can hear the frantic church members. 

Investigators believe Compton was angry with her husband over money and wanted to shoot him.

No one in the church was hurt during the incident.

Compton sped away in a car after the shooting. She crashed several miles away, on Clevenger Cut Off Road and was flown to UT Medical Center by Lifestar. 

On Thursday, she was still in a critical care unit.

Witnesses nearby told 6 News it took rescue crews nearly 30 minutes to get Compton and her car out of the ditch.

"It was pretty intense here for awhile, rescue crews, fire and police crews were all over the road," Todd Cummings says.

Sheriff Claude Strange says Compton will face several charges when she's released from the hospital. 

Those charges include fleeing to evade arrest by automobile, reckless endangerment and criminal attempt to commit first degree murder.