On a summer evening in July 2022, 24-year-old Michael Faison, Jr. was standing outside a 7-Eleven on Warwick Boulevard in Newport News, Virginia. A friendly and outgoing young man, Faison struck up a conversation with a woman about her tattoos. This seemingly innocent interaction would tragically lead to his death moments later. The woman's boyfriend, Divine Rahim Jackson, was pumping gas nearby and witnessed the conversation.
Consumed by jealousy, Jackson walked over to Faison and his
girlfriend. He confronted Faison, asking why he was speaking to his girlfriend, and then slapped him twice. The situation escalated rapidly as Jackson pulled out a handgun. Despite Faison stepping back with his hands raised in a non-threatening manner, Jackson shot him in the head at close range. The entire incident was captured on the store's surveillance cameras.
After the shooting, Jackson and his girlfriend fled the scene in a black BMW. Faison was rushed to a nearby hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries later that night. Investigators used the surveillance footage to identify Jackson and located the BMW. They arrested him at his home in Newport News later that same evening.
Divine Rahim Jackson was charged with second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. In May 2024, a judge sentenced him to life in prison for the murder, with an additional three years for the firearm charge. During the sentencing, Jackson read a statement apologizing to Faison's family, claiming he was drunk and never intended to kill an innocent man. Faison's family expressed relief that justice was served, but lamented that nothing could bring their beloved son and brother back.
