Crystallyn May Nguyen was 18 when she was fatally shot on October 8, 2013, in the 11700 block of South Crenshaw Boulevard in Inglewood. The shooting occurred about 12:51 p.m. in an apartment where Nguyen was with her boyfriend, Datwan Henderson, and his grandmother, Dora Lee Dawson. Nguyen’s ex-boyfriend, Justin Marquis Scott, confronted Henderson, then produced a gun and opened fire. Nguyen and Dawson were critically injured and later died at the hospital; Henderson survived.

Investigators reported a history of conflict between Scott and Nguyen and Henderson that culminated in the attack. Scott was arrested and charged with two counts of special-circumstances murder and one count of attempted murder; prosecutors described the killings as premeditated and targeting multiple victims. The community held vigils for Nguyen and Dawson as the case moved through trial, with witness testimony and forensic evidence used in the prosecution.