In the spring of 2019, a dispute rooted in the drug trade spiraled into a fatal confrontation on a street in Burlington, Vermont, claiming the life of Benzell Hampton, a 23-year-old Black / African American man. On the afternoon of April 16th, what began as a drug deal devolved into a violent shootout in the city's Old North End. Hampton was ambushed by a group of individuals during the transaction.
A hail of bullets followed, and Hampton was struck at least six times by shots fired from
two different guns. The exchange of gunfire left him with fatal wounds to his head and chest, and he died at the scene as his attackers fled. An autopsy later recovered three. 380 caliber bullets from his body.
The investigation that followed quickly led to a number of arrests. Authorities identified James Felix and Johnny Ford as two of the individuals directly involved in the deadly attack. The hunt for the suspects extended beyond Vermont, with two of the men being apprehended in Connecticut. Several other people were also taken into custody and faced charges for their roles in the aftermath of the shooting. Two women, Angelina Pearson-Fitzpatrick and Takesha Thomas, were accused of helping the suspects escape by arranging transportation and hotel rooms, as well as disposing of clothing worn during the incident. They were charged with accessory after the fact.
