DALLAS, TEXAS — A disagreement over manners escalated into a fatal shooting this week when Cecillia Simpson, 41, was shot outside a PetSmart store in Dallas following an argument over not saying “thank you.” Simpson reportedly got upset when Keona Zachyua Hampton, 22, did not say “thank you” after Simpson held the door open at a Five Below store. To remove themselves from the escalating argument, Simpson and her daughter walked to their car and drove to the PetSmart in the same shopping plaza.
Confrontation Inside PetSmart and Outside in the Parking Lot
Hampton later entered the PetSmart, where she allegedly confronted Simpson’s daughter and continued the argument. Store employees intervened and asked both parties to leave. Once outside in the parking lot, tensions escalated further. Witnesses report that Hampton threw a small bottle at Simpson’s vehicle before pulling out a handgun and firing three times, striking Simpson multiple times. A nurse nearby performed CPR until emergency responders arrived, but Simpson later died at a local hospital.
An ER nurse who saw the incident told FOX 4 her perspective on what happened: “The shooter was saying, ‘Come outside. Let’s handle this outside. Let’s fight outside.’ And the mom and daughter were just telling her to like go away. The mother and daughter tried to get in the car to de-escalate the situation but the lady wasn’t having it. They started to fight and that’s when the lady pulled out her gun and shot her.”
Arrest and Investigation
Hampton was arrested during a traffic stop shortly after the shooting. She admitted to being involved in the confrontation but said she only drew her weapon after the dispute turned physical. Hampton has been charged with murder and remains in custody while authorities review bond conditions. Police say surveillance footage shows Hampton leaving the scene with the firearm in hand.
