Mother who beat cancer four times allegedly shot dead by man in tragic accident

A Denver mother who had beaten cancer four times tragically had her life cut short after a freak accident involving a gun fired from outside her home.

Jennifer James, 49, has been described by her loved ones on a GoFundMe page as 'the epitome of sunshine', and 'an incredible human being [who] was loved by so many people'.

The mom was in her home in Berthoud, Denver on April 28, and was reportedly 'battling cancer yet again' when the fatal gunshot took place at around 11:20pm, causing a bullet to travel through the window of her home and strike her in the upper arm.

The bullet then traveled through Jennifer's chest, and a 911 dispatcher was told that she collapsed and stopped breathing.

First responders arrived at the scene and attempted to provide aid, but Jennifer was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

Jennifer had been in her own home when she was shot (GoFundMe)

In the wake of Jennifer's death, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office launched an investigation which has since led to the arrest of 20-year-old Ebenezer Worku.

Worku was identified by police after he was found to be the driver of a Nissan Rogue which was seen on security camera footage outside Jennifer's home at 11:18pm. The car remained in the area for several moments before its headlights went dark and it drove away.

Two days after the shooting, Worku was involved in a crash on Interstate 25 near Greenwood Village. When a Greenwood Village Police Department commander spoke with Worku, bodycam footage showed that he had a handgun holster underneath his jacket.

Following a search of the vehicle, police found a Glock 22, .40 caliber handgun with an extended magazine. The driver waived his Miranda rights and was taken to the sheriff’s office to be interviewed.

According to an arrest affidavit cited by Fox31, Worku used the interview to talk about his mental health and claimed he suffers from 'homicidal schizophrenia'. The 20-year-old also described hearing voices that tell him to harm others.

Jennifer had already beaten cancer four times (GoFundMe)

Worku said he received the Glock 22 as a birthday gift from his 'adopted uncle' and that it was only used at the shooting range, but when pressed about the night of the shooting, he allegedly admitted that the gun had been discharged.

The affidavit said that Worku was trying to clean his gun when he 'accidentally' fired it out of the driver's window, because he was unfamiliar with the weapon.

He then fired again when he tried to clear the chamber, but he allegedly told investigators he thought the bullets would hit a wall.

Though Worku told police he didn't believe he'd hit anyone, he is said to have become frightened and driven away.

After sharing the details of the alleged incident, Worku was placed under arrest for first-degree murder and booked into the Larimer County Jail with a $1.25 million cash-only bond.

Now, Jennifer's loved ones have launched a GoFundMe to raise money for her children following their loss.

"Anyone who knew [Jennifer] thought of her as the nicest person they had known," the page reads. "She leaves behind four children without any parents. They are going to be dealing with extensive expenses. If you can help, even $1 will make a difference."

You can donate to the fundraiser here.