HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) – Police in Hampton are investigating a double homicide Tuesday morning.
According to dispatch, officers were called to the 400 block of Allegheny Road around 1:02 a.m. for a report of a shooting. When they got on scene, officers found a man and a woman in the roadway.
Police say both victims were pronounced dead on the scene. They have been identified as Benita J. Mozelle, 42, of Hampton, and Troy L. James, 26, of Newport News.
A preliminary investigation shows that there was a verbal altercation between the two victims and a suspect, which then escalated into a physical altercation. Police say during the altercation, the suspect fired their gun and hit the victims, according to police.
Hampton Police told 10 On Your Side that this is the 16th homicide in Hampton in 2023, with 20 homicide victims, compared to 13 homicides and 14 homicide victims at the same point last year. They said the homicide closure rate for 2023 is 28.6%.
So far in 2023, there have been 54 people who have been shot in Hampton, 34 non-fatal and 20 fatal. At the same point last year, 32 people had been shot, with 18 non-fatal shootings and 14 fatal.
Among juvenile victims in Hampton, there have been two non-fatal shootings and one juvenile victim – an unborn baby that took place on St. George Way in January. Last year at this time, there had been two fatal shootings with juvenile victims.
The investigation is ongoing and there is no suspect information at this time.
If you have any information about this case, you can submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, downloading the P3 tips app to a mobile device, or visiting www.P3tips.com and submitting a tip.
Check WAVY.com for the latest updates.
