On his very first day working as a security guard at a senior citizens' apartment building on Detroit's east side, 50-year-old Kenneth Darnell Hall, a Black male, found himself in a tragically fatal situation. The events of November 13, 2018, unfolded into a double homicide that also claimed the life of a 66-year-old resident, Bernice Clark.
The deadly encounter began inside the apartment of 69-year-old resident James Fleming.
There, Fleming was with a 30-year-old woman, where they were reportedly drinking and using drugs. An altercation ensued, and Fleming allegedly threatened to tie up, beat, and sexually assault the woman. She managed to escape his apartment and immediately reported the incident to officers who were already at the scene for a different matter.
Having been locked out of the building after the woman's escape, Fleming was let back inside by Kenneth Hall, who was just beginning his new job. Tragically, upon re-entering, Fleming allegedly opened fire, fatally shooting Hall and also striking Bernice Clark as he fled the building. Both Hall and Clark were discovered wounded in the first-floor hallway around 9:10 p.m. and were pronounced dead at the scene.
James Fleming was later arrested and faced a litany of charges for the violent outburst. For the deaths of Kenneth Hall and Bernice Clark, he was charged with two counts of first-degree murder. The legal proceedings against him also included three counts of assault with intent to murder, six counts of felony firearm, and one count each of kidnapping, criminal sexual conduct, and felon in possession of a firearm. Following his arrest, a competency evaluation was ordered for Fleming.
