A 22-year-old woman has been charged with murder after allegedly shooting a mother of two in a Dallas shopping centre car park following an argument over a missed 'thank you'. Police say Keona Hampton opened fire on Cecila Simpson, 41, outside a PetSmart on Tuesday afternoon.
The dispute began when the two women left a Five Below store, and Simpson became upset that Hampton did not say 'thank you' after she held the door for her. The argument continued inside the nearby PetSmart, where Simpson reported Hampton for following her. After leaving the store, the confrontation escalated in the car park.
Cellphone footage captured the moment shots were fired. The affidavit states that after the shooting, Hampton was seen walking away holding a black and silver handgun. Simpson was struck several times and later died in hospital.
Hampton fled the scene but was arrested hours later when police stopped her vehicle. She was wearing the same clothes seen in earlier surveillance footage. She admitted to fighting with Simpson and a store employee, and said she threw a drink bottle at Simpson before pulling out a gun when a witness tried to intervene.
Hampton told detectives she shot Simpson because she was 'just trying to get her away from her'. She is being held in Dallas County Jail on a murder charge.
