Woman Shot and Killed in Dallas Parking Lot After Alleged Argument Over Saying 'Thank You' By Charna Flam

A woman was fatally shot after she allegedly asked another woman to say “thank you.” 

Cecilia Simpson, 41, was killed in the parking lot outside a PetSmart in Dallas on Tuesday, Oct. 7. Keona Zachyua Hampton, 22, has been charged with murder for allegedly shooting Simpson multiple times, per a Dallas Police Department news release. 

The fatal encounter happened after Simpson reportedly held the door open for Hampton as they were both leaving a Five Below store, per WFAA. When Hampton didn’t thank Simpson, police say that the two women engaged in a verbal altercation, according to CBS News, citing the arrest affidavit.

According to the outlet, Simpson and her daughter drove to the shopping center’s PetSmart. They told the employees Hampton was allegedly following them. Police say that Hampton then went into PetSmart and argued with the witness, left the store, and returned minutes later.

Hampton and Simpson then began arguing inside the PetSmart again. The employees asked all three people to leave the store. 

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A witness, who reportedly is an ER nurse, told Fox 4, “The shooter was saying, ‘Come outside. Let’s handle this outside. Let’s fight outside.’ And the mom and daughter were just telling her to like go away.”

Once they left the store, Hampton allegedly threw a drink bottle at Simpson’s vehicle in the parking lot. “The mother and daughter tried to get in the car to de-escalate the situation but the lady wasn’t having it,” the ER nurse told the outlet.

Simpson then continued arguing with Hampton, which turned into a physical fight. Simpson hit Hampton several times and yelled at her to leave, Simpson’s daughter told police, per CBS News.

Authorities were alerted to a shooting in the parking lot around 1 p.m. Dallas Fire-Rescue then transported Simpson to Methodist Central Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, per CBS News.

Hours later, authorities located and arrested Hampton, according to the DPD news release.

She was then taken into custody and reportedly told detectives that she and Simpson had a verbal dispute, per the affidavit, according to CBS News.

Hampton told investigators she was “just trying to get [Simpson] away from her,” per the affidavit, according to WFAA.

Hampton was booked into the Dallas County Jail. Jail records for Hampton did not indicate that a bond had been set.

The investigation is ongoing, per DPD.

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Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective T. Gross via email at [email protected] or by phone at (214) 671-3143.