Alfred Hale

Alfred Charles Hale III was an 18-year-old senior at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Dayton, Ohio. An African American male, Alfred was known to his family as a basketball lover whose favorite team was the Golden State Warriors. He was just one month away from his high school graduation.

On the morning of April 4, 2025, Alfred was in downtown Dayton to catch a bus to school. Around 7:20 a.m., near the Greater Dayton RTA Wright Stop Plaza Transit Center, he got into an argument with a man named Julius Maurice Williamson Jr. Prosecutors later said that Williamson threatened Alfred, threw him to the ground, and then grabbed a handgun from his girlfriend’s purse. As Alfred turned away, Williamson shot him. Emergency responders transported Alfred to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries.

The Dayton Police Department immediately began an investigation, using surveillance video and other technological resources to identify a suspect. A few days later, they arrested 23-year-old Julius Maurice Williamson Jr. and booked him into the Montgomery County Jail on suspicion of murder and a parole violation. The killing of a student on his way to school sent a shockwave through the community. Dayton Public Schools Superintendent Dr. David Lawrence called the event “devastating” and mobilized counseling services for students. The district also organized fundraisers to help Alfred’s family with funeral expenses. To honor his memory, loved ones held a balloon release, wearing the blue and gold colors of his favorite team.

In June 2026, the case against Williamson went to trial. An assistant prosecutor presented video of the incident and argued that Williamson waited for Alfred to turn away before shooting him. On June 25, 2026, a jury found Williamson, then 24, guilty on all counts, including two counts of murder, two counts of felonious assault, and one count of tampering with evidence. The court also found him guilty of two weapons charges.

On July 8, 2026, a Montgomery County judge sentenced Julius Williamson Jr. to 28 years to life in prison. At the hearing, Alfred’s mother, Nellie Scales, spoke of her shattered life, saying, “It’s like I broke the glass and can’t put the pieces back together.” Williamson’s girlfriend, Jelisa Gomez, pleaded guilty to a weapons charge for carrying the gun used in the shooting in her purse, knowing Williamson had a prior felony conviction. She was sentenced to three years in prison. The case was closed as of July 2026.