On a spring afternoon in Portsmouth, Virginia, a dispute over a mere eighty dollars escalated into a fatal encounter, claiming the life of 40-year-old Tonieo E. Burden, a Black male. The events of May 2, 2015, began to unfold at a 7-Eleven on Mount Vernon Avenue, where Burden confronted Quintin Lee Hardy Jr. about the outstanding debt.
Following the initial exchange, Burden went into the convenience store. When he emerged, Hardy was driving away from the parking lot.
Burden then pursued Hardy in his own vehicle, eventually cutting him off at the intersection of Vermont Avenue and Commerce Street. Both men exited their vehicles, and what started as a verbal confrontation quickly turned deadly.
As the two men faced each other, Burden reportedly asked Hardy, "What are you doing?". It was then that he noticed Hardy was armed with a gun. Burden attempted to flee the scene, but it was too late. Hardy opened fire, striking Burden four times in the back as he tried to run away. Emergency medical personnel were called to the scene around 3:45 p.m. and found Tonieo E. Burden unresponsive with a gunshot wound to his upper torso. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the shooting led to the arrest of Quintin Lee Hardy Jr. In April 2016, a Portsmouth jury convicted the 35-year-old Hardy of voluntary manslaughter in connection with Burden's death. The jury recommended a sentence of 10 years in prison for his role in the fatal shooting. A judge formally sentenced him on July 12, 2016.
