A disagreement over a simple act of politeness spiraled into a deadly shooting in a Dallas PetSmart parking lot. The victim, 41-year-old Cecilia Simpson, was fatally shot, and 22-year-old Keona Zachyua Hampton has been arrested and charged with murder in relation to the incident. The initial dispute began outside a Five Below store when Simpson held a door open for Hampton, who failed to acknowledge the gesture with a thank you. This seemingly insignificant incident sparked a verbal dispute between the two women, as per police records.
The conflict escalated when Simpson and her daughter drove to a nearby shopping center that housed a PetSmart. Simpson informed the store employees that Hampton was tailing them. An argument ensued inside the PetSmart, leading the staff to request both parties to vacate the store. An eyewitness, an ER nurse, reported that Hampton suggested they take their argument outside, which resulted in a heated exchange in the parking lot. Hampton is alleged to have thrown a drink bottle at Simpson’s car as the situation intensified.
As Simpson and her daughter tried to deescalate the situation by getting into their car, a physical altercation broke out. Simpson’s daughter stated that her mother struck Hampton several times, urging her to leave. The tragic climax of the incident occurred around 1 p.m. when shots rang out in the parking lot. Simpson was rushed to Methodist Central Hospital by Dallas Fire-Rescue, where she later died from her injuries.
Hampton was arrested by authorities several hours after the incident. During her police interview, Hampton confessed to the verbal altercation, stating she was attempting to distance herself from Simpson, as per the affidavit. Hampton is currently detained in the Dallas County Jail, awaiting further legal action. No bond has been set as per the jail records. The Dallas Police Department continues its investigation into the incident and encourages anyone with additional information to reach out to Detective T. Gross via email or phone.