FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. — A Springfield man has been convicted after a seven-day trial on murder and weapons charges in connection with a November 2020 shooting involving an assault rifle, according to Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano.
The jury of Fairfax County residents found Carlington Fitz Auther Campbell guilty of second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony for the shooting death of Anthony Sullivan, who was unarmed at the time, Descano said.
He specified that the weapon used in the killing was an AR-15 - a military-style high-powered rifle. In addition to the rifle, Campbell was armed with a pistol and 86 rounds of ammunition.
“High-powered, military-style weapons do not belong in the hands of the general public,” Descano said. “Not only was this dangerous weapon used to kill a man, but this rifle’s power created a uniquely dangerous situation for everyone in that immediate area.”
Descano went on to share that evidence submitted at trial showed that Sullivan and Campbell had argued about an alleged debt prior to the day of the shooting. "When Sullivan knocked on Campbell’s door, Campbell jumped from his eight-foot second-floor balcony, went around the apartment building, and shot Sullivan in the back where he stood at Campbell’s front door. Several of the bullets also penetrated the metal door of a neighbor’s occupied apartment," he said.
Campbell now faces 5 to 40 years in prison on the murder conviction and three years on the firearm conviction. His bond was revoked and he was scheduled for sentencing on Oct. 28, 2022.
“While there are no winners in a case like this, we are pleased the jury saw through the defendant’s claims of self-defense and recognized this shooting for what it was — cold-blooded murder,” Descano said. “I will continue to fight for the values of our community, which means holding people accountable for their crimes and working toward banning these dangerous weapons from personal ownership.”
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