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‘Even-Keeled’ White House Staffer Arrested After Shooting At Boyfriend With His Own Gun

Chuck Ross Investigative Reporter
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An assistant to President Obama who was recently described by a White House official as “even-keeled” has been arrested after she allegedly stole her U.S. Capitol Police officer boyfriend’s service weapon and fired one shot in his direction during a heated argument this weekend.

Police say that Barvetta Singletary, who currently serves as special assistant to the President and House legislative affairs liaison, invited her boyfriend over to her home in Upper Marlboro, Md. on Friday.

According to NBC Washington, charging documents show that after Singletary and her boyfriend had sex, she confronted him about cheating on her.

Singletary asked her boyfriend to go to his vehicle and inside the car asked to search his cell phone. When he refused, Singletary allegedly reached into his bag, grabbing two cell phones and his .40-caliber Glock 23 service weapon.

She ran inside her house and the boyfriend followed, according to NBC Washington. The man begged for his gun back, and Singletary asked for the password to his phone. When he refused, Singletary allegedly pulled the gun from its holster and pointed it at him.

“You taught me how to use this. Don’t think I won’t use it,” Singletary said, according to an arrest warrant. After the man again refused to provide his password, he said that Singletary fired a shot in his direction. He ran away and called 911.

Singletary was arrested at the scene without incident.

A South Carolina native, Singletary took the White House position last year after serving as the deputy chief of staff and policy director to South Carolina U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, the third-ranking Democrat in the House.

Upon her hire, a senior White House official described Singletary to Politico as having an “even keeled nature.”

“She is a team player in every sense,” the official said, adding that it was a “fun fact” that Singletary “also happens to have an amazing singing voice, which she puts to use at church and among friends, when she can be convinced.”

Singletary has been put on unpaid leave. Her access to the White House has also been revoked pending investigation.

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