In the early hours of May 14, 2022, a workplace dispute in Hampton, Virginia, turned fatal, ending the life of 20-year-old Tyzuaan Staton-Fuller. A Black male, Staton-Fuller was inside the Howmet Aerospace facility, a company known for manufacturing components for airplanes and gas turbines, when the incident occurred. Just after midnight, Hampton police responded to a call about a shooting at the location on Howmet Drive.
Upon their arrival, they discovered Staton-Fuller suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the shooting quickly led to a suspect, 29-year-old Alonzo Trower Jr., a coworker of Staton-Fuller. According to court documents, what began as a verbal altercation between the two men escalated into a physical confrontation. During the fight, Trower reportedly retrieved a firearm from a bag he was carrying and shot Staton-Fuller. The investigation determined that the dispute originated outside of their work relationship and was an isolated incident. Although Howmet Aerospace had a policy against firearms on the premises, the company did not utilize metal detectors or actively screen for weapons.
Alonzo Trower Jr. was promptly arrested and taken into custody at the Hampton City Jail. He faced charges of second-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and shooting within an occupied building. Court records indicate that Trower confessed to the shooting. Following the tragic event, Howmet Aerospace canceled all shifts for the remainder of the weekend and made counseling services available to its employees. Trower was scheduled for a court appearance on May 23, 2022.
