Fatoumata Jaiteh Danson, a 39-year-old Black female, was a hardworking mother of eight originally from The Gambia who had come to America in the 1990s to build a better life for her family. She worked as a home health aide and was described by relatives as a very sweet person dedicated to providing for her loved ones. Her life was tragically cut short on the morning of January 26, 2021, inside her East Harlem apartment in the Lehman Village Houses.
The circumstances leading to her death were rooted in a history of domestic turmoil with her 22-year-old son, Musa Camara. The relationship had been strained due to his refusal to find a job and his reliance on his mother for financial support. This tension had escalated in the past, including an incident in August 2020 where Camara physically assaulted his mother and threatened her life, leading to his arrest and an order of protection being issued against him.
On that fatal January morning, Camara violated the order of protection and went to his mother's apartment. An argument ensued, reportedly over his unemployment. In a moment of desperation, Danson activated a domestic violence panic button she had been given by law enforcement. Before help could arrive, her son shot her in the head. She was found unconscious by police who responded to a 911 call and was pronounced dead at the scene.
After the shooting, Musa Camara fled the apartment building and fired a shot at a passerby on the street, who was not injured. He was quickly apprehended by police, who had to use a Taser to subdue him. Camara was taken into custody and later sent for a psychiatric evaluation at Metropolitan Hospital due to his erratic behavior. He was subsequently charged with the murder of his mother.
