On October 28, 2018, Latricia Ezell, 52, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, was shot and killed in the parking lot of her apartment building. Her daughter, Ashley Campfield, 29, was also killed in the same incident. Their son and brother, Zakiiy Carson, called 911 after the shootings, was arrested at the scene and later arraigned on murder charges.

Court testimony reported that Carson had been arguing with his mother and sister before the shootings. He allegedly shot his mother in the head and shot his sister in the back as they came outside to check on him. Defense attorneys said Carson had mental health problems and had stopped taking medication prior to the killings; he entered a plea of guilty but mentally ill and received a 25 to 50 year prison sentence.

Neighbors described shock at the sudden violence, and Carson’s erratic behavior in the months before the killings, including claims that the FBI was after him, had concerned people who knew him. A 3-year-old nephew was inside the apartment during the shootings, was unharmed and was placed with family members.