Darrell L. Brooks lived in the same East Baltimore neighborhood as the Dawson family. At the time of the attack, Brooks was on probation for prior offenses but was not being supervised properly by parole officers. His background included involvement in local criminal activity, and he was known to police. Angela Dawson, a mother of five and a strong community advocate, had filed multiple reports with authorities regarding drug dealing and crime in her neighborhood, which led to tensions between her and some of the local criminals, including Brooks.

In the early morning of October 16, 2002, tragedy struck East Baltimore when the home of the Dawson family was firebombed while they slept. The victims included Carnell Dawson, Angela Dawson, and their five children: Keith (9), Kevin (8), Juan (10), Carnell Jr. (1), and a 14-year-old daughter. Investigators later discovered that Darrell L. Brooks had thrown a Molotov cocktail into the family’s home as an act of revenge against Angela’s repeated complaints to police. This was not the first attack on their home—there had been previous firebombing attempts in the weeks leading up to the murders. 

After being arrested, Brooks pleaded guilty in 2004 and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. The case highlighted deep flaws in the criminal justice system, including lapses in parole supervision, and became a chilling reminder of the risks faced by those who speak out against crime in their communities.