WASHINGTON — A man will spend the next 25 years in prison for killing an older co-worker and injuring two others with a shovel and sledgehammer while working at a warehouse in Northeast D.C. last year.
According to the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, 63-year-old Vincent Hemphill pleaded guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed and two counts of assault with intent to kill on Sept. 6.
Hemphill and the victims were working at a warehouse owned by the Washington Air Compressor Rental Company when the deadly shovel attack happened.
According to evidence, Hemphill was at work on Oct. 12, 2023, when his supervisor, Brian Jefferson, told Hemphill to move an air compressor. When Hemphill did not move the air compressor, Jefferson told him to again, this time over the loudspeaker system.
Following the second request, Hemphill carried a large metal shovel to Jefferson's officer and hit his supervisor over the head with the shovel while Jefferson was sitting at his desk and unable to move due to a previous foot injury. At the time of the attack, Jefferson was using a scooter to get around.
Hemphill then chased another co-worker with the shovel. The co-worker tried to run away but Hemphill caught up and began hitting him with the shovel repeatedly after the co-worker fell to the ground.
Hemphill then turned on a third co-worker, hitting him before the co-worker could get the shovel away from his attacker. The co-worker ran away with the shovel and later collapsed to the ground. Hemphill caught up to the coworker, this time armed with a sledgehammer. Hemphill reportedly hit his coworker once with the new weapon before returning to his previous victim and hitting the prone man with the sledgehammer in the back of the head.
One of the victims, Charles Short, later died from his injuries on Jan. 22, the other two victims suffered from head injuries, a brain bleed, shoulder injuries, a concussion and a fractured jaw.
In addition to the 25-year prison sentence, Hemphill will be required to serve 11 years of supervised release.
