In the early morning hours of June 30, 2018, a dispute over a double-parked car on a Brooklyn street escalated into a fatal encounter for 44-year-old Robert Fason. A Black man, Fason was shot and killed following a heated argument. The incident unfolded on Broadway, near the border of the Bushwick and Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhoods.
During the altercation, a man later identified as Jimmie L. Russell allegedly drew a firearm and shot Fason.
Despite his injuries, Fason managed to flee the scene, staggering for about two blocks before collapsing in a yard on Decatur Street. A resident heard his cries for help and dialed 911. What followed was a series of events that drew scrutiny and outrage. The first pair of responding officers from the 73rd Precinct, Roberto Anton and Lisa Lavelle, arrived but reportedly never exited their patrol car to investigate or render aid. They left the scene after only a few minutes. A second 911 call from the same concerned resident brought a different set of officers, who discovered Fason's body. By then, it was too late.
The initial lack of response from law enforcement became a significant part of the narrative of Fason's death. Both Anton and Lavelle were suspended from the police force pending an internal investigation into their actions, or lack thereof. Fason's family, devastated by their loss, initiated a wrongful death lawsuit against the city, citing the negligence of the officers.
In the criminal investigation into Fason's death, police identified Jimmie L. Russell as the suspected shooter. Nearly three weeks after the incident, Russell was apprehended. He was subsequently charged with murder, attempted murder, assault, and criminal possession of a weapon. The case, under Indictment No. 5555/2018, proceeded through the legal system. Following a trial in the Supreme Court of Kings County, a judgment was rendered on February 14, 2023. An appeal of this judgment was later filed, indicating the conclusion of the trial phase of the case.
