A promising Saturday afternoon in Hopewell, Virginia, turned tragic on October 28, 2023, ending the life of 46-year-old Charmel Dawn Mason. The Hopewell woman, a mother of four, was fatally shot inside a residence on Danville Street. The circumstances surrounding her death were not born of malice or violent intent, but rather what law enforcement has described as a devastating accident.
Responding to a call at approximately 3:28 p.m., Hopewell police officers arrived at the 2000 block of
Danville Street to find Ms. Mason suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite immediate medical attention, she succumbed to her injuries at the scene. The investigation that followed pointed to an unlikely suspect: her own 19-year-old son, Benjamin Tyler Mason. It is believed that the shooting was unintentional, a tragic consequence of the reckless handling of a firearm.
According to reports and statements from a close family friend, the incident occurred while Benjamin Mason was handling a newly acquired gun. The firearm discharged, sending a bullet through the house that tragically struck and killed his mother. In the wake of the shooting, Benjamin Mason was taken into custody and charged with reckless handling of a firearm. The investigation by the Hopewell Police Department supported the conclusion that the shooting was accidental.
Friends of the family described a close-knit and loving relationship between mother and son, emphasizing the profound grief and shock that engulfed the family in the aftermath of the tragedy. Benjamin Mason was subsequently released from jail. A graveside service for Charmel Dawn Mason was held the following Friday at Sunset Memorial Park in Chester, Virginia.
