On April 14, 2021, a young man's life was cut tragically short in Hampton, Virginia. Eighteen-year-old Niguel Amar Russell was walking down the street in the first block of Triple Crown Court on a Wednesday afternoon when he was fatally shot by someone in a passing vehicle. Emergency dispatchers received a call about the shooting shortly after 5 p.m.
When officers arrived at the apartment complex near the intersection of Magrudger Boulevard and Floyd Thompson Drive, they found Niguel Amar Russell had been shot. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Hampton Police Division began an immediate investigation into the homicide. Based on their preliminary findings, it was determined that Russell was the victim of a drive-by shooting. Investigators quickly detained one man for questioning in connection with the incident. The day after the shooting, police announced the arrest of 19-year-old Ramel Lawson Jr., a resident of Hampton. Authorities stated that they were not looking for any other suspects.
Ramel Lawson Jr. was charged with second-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, shooting from a vehicle, and shooting in public. He was taken into custody and held at the Hampton City Jail. On March 21, 2023, Lawson was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the murder of Niguel Amar Russell. He was found guilty of all the charges brought against him. The motive and specific circumstances that led to the shooting remained under investigation.
