On the night of May 26, 2023, 19-year-old Ayanna Thompson was fatally shot in the parking lot of B & B Bowling Lanes, located in the 3000 block of Fort Bragg Road in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The incident occurred around 11:45 p.m., when Thompson and her friends were on a double date, having traveled from Fairmont to the bowling alley with 27-year-old Levon Campbell.
An argument reportedly ensued between Thompson and Campbell, culminating in Campbell allegedly shooting Thompson while she was seated in the front passenger seat of his vehicle. After the shooting, Campbell is said to have pointed the firearm at the other passengers before fleeing the scene, leaving Thompson's friends to attempt life-saving measures.
Following the incident, the Fayetteville Police Department launched an investigation, identifying Campbell as the primary suspect. Nearly a month later, on June 22, 2023, Campbell was apprehended in Riegelwood, North Carolina, through a collaborative effort involving the Fayetteville Police Department’s Gang Unit, Violent Criminal Apprehension Team, Homicide Unit, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office.
Campbell was subsequently charged with first-degree murder, discharging a weapon into an occupied dwelling, possession of a firearm by a felon, and discharging a weapon into occupied property. During his initial court appearance, Campbell described the shooting as an accident. The case has garnered significant attention, highlighting issues of gun violence and domestic disputes among young adults in the Fayetteville community.
