Video leads to arrest in killing
Police have accused a 19-year-old Lancaster city resident of shooting a man to death in August.
City police arrested Robert Baron "Hoopty" Brown, 19, of the first block of East Andrew Street, on Tuesday and charged him with the Aug. 31 slaying of Robert Hampton, 28, formerly of Philadelphia.
The shooting happened in an alley between the 600 blocks of Poplar and St. Joseph streets. Hampton, who was found in the alley, was taken to Lancaster General Hospital, where he died a short time later.
Police, relying on witness accounts and video footage from private sources and Lancaster Community Safety Coalition cameras, said Hampton was seen standing in the 100 block of New Dorwart Street prior to the shooting.
Brown and two other men approached Hampton, and he and Brown began talking, police said. Brown and Hampton then walked into the alley and Brown's companions stopped on New Dorwart Street, near the alley.
Hampton and Brown briefly scuffled, police said the video shows, and Brown can be heard telling one of his companions to shoot. Hampton can be heard saying, "No, No, No."
Police said there were two or three gunshots. Brown and the others fled while Hampton stumbled and fell in the alley.
Police said a bullet found in a wooden fence near the shooting scene by a Pennsylvania State Police Crime Lab ballistics expert was consistent with the video footage.
Police said the video footage was "pivotal" in bringing charges against Brown.
Brown, who was incarcerated in Lancaster County Prison following a Sept. 7 arrest on drug delivery charges, was charged Tuesday before District Judge Cheryl Hartman with criminal homicide, criminal solicitation to commit homicide and two counts of violating the Uniform Firearms Act.
He was arraigned on the charges before District Judge Bruce Roth and sent back to the prison without bail.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Lancaster city police. Callers can remain anonymous.
Courtesy of Lancaster Newspapers, Intelligencer Journal / Lancaster New Era
November 17, 2011
E-mail Larry Alexander: lalexander@lnpnews.com |
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