In the early morning hours of May 20, 2023, a dispute outside a Phoenix, Arizona, business tragically escalated, ending the life of 50-year-old Nixon Petit, a male security guard identified as Black/African American. The incident unfolded at a hookah lounge located near 27th and Northern avenues where Petit was on duty. An argument broke out, leading to a violent confrontation that would ultimately prove fatal.
Responding to reports of a shooting at approximately 3:45 a.m., Phoenix
police officers arrived at the scene to find Petit suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, but his injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced deceased. The individual responsible for the shooting had fled the area before law enforcement's arrival, sparking an immediate investigation into the senseless act of violence.
The investigation quickly led authorities to a suspect. Three days later, on May 23, 2023, investigators located and arrested 26-year-old Justine Demunga in Oro Valley, Arizona, in connection with Petit's murder. Court documents revealed that the altercation began when Demunga attempted to bypass a security screening. Petit intervened to de-escalate the situation, which led to a physical struggle. Surveillance footage reportedly showed both men falling to the ground before Demunga pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots, fatally wounding the security guard. Investigators recovered eight shell casings at the scene. Demunga was subsequently booked into jail on multiple charges, including second-degree murder.
