Woman who shot at house in Facebook rant goes to court

DETROIT (WJBK) - She was seen on video firing a shot at a house with a child in her arms. The mother was frustrated the home she bought ended up on the demolition list.

Andrea Sheppard's tirade on Facebook has gotten her in trouble with the law. The video went viral - now she is accused of firing a shot at the home she bought on the auction program with her children next to her.

She expressed her anger and frustration with the Detroit Land Bank Authority in October, after the purchased a house in the auction program that ended up on the demolition list. Sheppard claims she bought the home for $1,000, and invested about $5,000 more into the property.

The Detroit mother says she had been a fast food worker struggling to make it, and this ordeal caused her to lose it. She pulled out what appears to be a firearm with her children next to her and fired a shot into the home.

"I deeply regret it," Sheppard said "It was very irrational of me, at that time I felt I was losing my livelihood. My children are my everything."

During Sheppard's prelim, her attorney made the argument for his client questioning if she actually fired a gun since what she called her "piece" in the Facebook post, covered in a purple bag.

"We don't know what that was," said her attorney Cliff Woodards. "As you saw in the video, it was concealed by something purple. They didn't introduce the gun here at the exam. We heard a shot. It could have come from a starter pistol. The law is very specific on what is a concealed weapon or firearm. We don't know if it meets that criteria."

The Land Bank Authority issued a statement in October saying the auction program has strict deadlines for repairs and renovations, and that they tried to assist Sheppard.

Her attorney says this is an example of the system not working all the time with the Land Bank Authority, only offering to refund her the $1,000 purchase.

"You really need help people like this and not punish them and have the whole criminal justice system land on their head," Woodards said.

"They explain you buy a house as is, and I did a blind bid," Sheppard said. "Okay I understand there were going to be some repairs and some things to work on, but at the same time, I should have never been told - after I invested my all - it should be in a demolition list."

The mother of two is charged with carrying a conceal weapon and reckless use of a firearm.

Sheppard will be reunited with her son. Although they have been separated, Sheppard's attorney tells me she is not in danger of losing custody of her children permanently.

Sheppard will be back in court on Dec. 15.