EDGARD — A Reserve woman was found not guilty last week, ruled within her rights for shooting a neighbor during a fall 2015 altercation.

Defense attorney Michael Smith said a St. John the Baptist Parish jury deliberated for 15 minutes before finding Tyranika Williams not guilty. The three-day trial concluded Thursday.

According to authorities, Dwayne Cook, 24 at the time of the Oct. 8, 2015 shooting, lived a few houses away from Williams.

Cook was taken by helicopter to University Hospital in New Orleans, where he underwent surgery.

Williams was taken to the St. John Sheriff’s Office, where she gave detectives a videotaped statement indicating she exited her house at approximately 12:30 a.m. to retrieve a calculator from her trunk because she was doing homework.

“She brought a 9-millimeter handgun with her because she feared for her safety going outside at night by herself,” Smith said in a release. “As she looked in her trunk, she felt someone grab her on the side and say ‘I been looking for you.’ Startled, Williams immediately turned around, backed away and pointed the gun at Cook, who she said she did not recognize.

“Cook continued to approach her and she shot him once. According to her testimony, Williams heard Cook say ‘You need to take me to the hospital,’ but she ran to her backyard, threw the gun and then entered her house where she hid, crying in her grandmother’s closet.”

Smith said St. John authorities did not arrest Williams that night because the shooting was deemed self-defense.

According to Smith, Williams was charged after Cook complained to the District Attorney’s office.

Smith said medical records showed Cook had cocaine and alcohol in his system the night he was shot.

According to Smith, Cook was “totally out of his mind” and “a woman doesn’t need to wait for a man to hurt her before she can defend herself.”