photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

The Douglas County Judicial and Law Enforcement Center is pictured in March of 2022. The center houses the Douglas County District Court and other county services.

A woman has been charged with aggravated assault after she allegedly threatened another woman with a BB gun outside of a Lawrence homeless outreach center on Sunday.

Police responded around 12:45 p.m. Sunday to a church in the 1000 block of Kentucky Street to a disturbance with weapons call, said Sgt. Drew Fennelly with the Lawrence Police Department. When police arrived a 39-year-old woman reported that a 35-year-old woman had pointed a gun at her during an argument outside the DARE Center, 944 Kentucky St.

Police arrested the 35-year-old and found a BB gun among her property that looked like a real firearm, Fennelly said. No injuries were reported.

The woman, Shawnda Danea Hess, of Lawrence, was booked around 1 p.m. Sunday, according to the Douglas County Jail booking log. She faces one felony count of aggravated assault, according to charging documents.

During Hess’ first court appearance on Monday, Chief Judge James McCabria appointed Brenda Clary to represent her, and he set an own-recognizance bond of $5,000, meaning Hess will not be required to pay any money to be released from jail but may be fined if she fails to appear in court. Her next appearance is scheduled for Feb. 21 for a status update.