Newly released surveillance video shows the deadly Belltown shooting that killed 23-year-old Tionna Simpson over Labor Day weekend.
Editor’s note: This story contains video that may be disturbing to some viewers.
Newly released surveillance video shows the deadly Belltown shooting that killed 23-year-old Tionna Simpson over Labor Day weekend.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office released the video in the case against 44-year-old Theaellis Hall, who was arrested in connection with Simpson’s death.
Simpson was shot and killed in her car near Third Avenue and Blanchard Street early Sept. 6, one of three deadly shootings in Belltown during the holiday weekend.
Family members told KOMO News Simpson’s daughter had just turned 6 months old.
“It’s just heartbreaking. The baby will never get to see her again,” Simpson’s father, Antonio Rhodes, said.
Court records state Simpson was with another person the night she was killed. That person was seen speaking with the suspect and ran from the scene when the shooting began. It was unclear whether investigators had identified that person.
The surveillance video shows the suspect driving a dark blue Chevrolet Malibu, according to court records.
Police arrested Hall after a witness identified the suspect’s girlfriend, investigators said. Detectives then linked Hall to a prior hit-and-run report involving the Malibu, which is registered to him.
Investigators said Hall admitted he was the person seen on video getting into the driver’s seat of the Malibu minutes before the shooting. But when shown video of the shooting, Hall told police he did not remember that part of the evening and said he did not know Simpson or have a reason to shoot her, court records state.
Records show Hall had been released from custody Sept. 3, three days before Simpson was killed, after serving time in a separate domestic violence assault case.
“She didn’t deserve any of it,” Simpson’s grandmother, Althea Benjamin, said. “We just want justice.”
At the time of Hall’s arrest, he was being held on $4 million bail and faced a possible murder charge in Simpson’s death.
