Gracie Ramirez surrendered to authorities at the Cumberland County Jail, and was later turned over to military officials. She made her first court appearance Thursday.
Ramirez was charged with involuntary manslaughter for the death of 23-year-old Jerry Martin Jr. Police said Martin was shot in the stomach Saturday night at a home in the 1500 block of Mawood Avenue.
Family members told police that Martin was roughhousing with his mother and aunt before the shooting.
"We were just playing around and he swung me around and told me he loved me," said the victim's aunt Kimberly Weaver. "And then he went to do the same thing to his mom and they fell because the grass was uneven."
Investigators said Ramirez thought Martin was fighting with his mother. So she came from next door with a hand gun to break it up.
"And before we knew it, some lady came across the way and she cocked a gun and said 'Get off of them.' And I went over to her and told her not to shoot it," said Weaver. "I said, 'Ma'am this is my nephew. We're just playing.' And she said 'Jerry get up. She's going to kill somebody.' And he stood up and said 'She's not going to kill nobody.' And as soon as he stood straight up, she shot him."
Ramirez has been on active duty for 12 years. She has two tours of duty in Afghanistan and one in Iraq. She's currently a member of the 1st Special Warfare Training Group at Fort Bragg.
Ramirez was released from jail on a $50,000 unsecured bond.
If convicted, she could spend about 17 years behind bars.
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