The Dallas Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying two people caught on surveillance footage as authorities say they are persons of interest in the fatal shooting of a former OU football player.
As reported by The Dallas Express, police responded to a welfare check at the 500 block of South Ervay Street on May 5 and found 25-year-old Du’Vonta Lampkin fatally shot in an apartment.
According to police, the 25-year-old had been staying at an Airbnb pending his move into a new apartment and was expected to leave on May 6.
Lampkin’s friends went to the Airbnb apartment after he stopped responding to messages and calls.
Dallas police released a surveillance video that captured two people they say are persons of interest in Lampkin’s death.
One of the suspects was wearing a white t-shirt and a baseball cap, while the other was dressed in all black, wore a hoodie, and was on his phone for most of the time he appeared on the footage.
Dallas Homicide Detective Josue Rodriquez told FOX 4 News that the suspect in the white t-shirt has a tattoo on his left forearm. Rodriquez added that the suspect in a hoodie wore “some black and green looking shoes.”
In the footage, Lampkin could be seen before his death carrying a backpack that was missing when officers found his body.
“The backpack has a skyline wrapped around the entire bag. Half of it is black and white. The other half of it is black and a yellow-gold color. It also has a red emblem on the right side of the backpack,” Rodriquez said. “What we’re hoping is that someone notices the backpack because it’s very distinguishable, and we’re hoping they will be able to provide us the information of anybody that has been seen wearing it or with it on or about May 5, 2022.”
Lampkin’s mother, Vanessa Lampkin, told NBC 5 News that it has been difficult for her to look at the surveillance footage.
“Just thinking, you are on your way to take a life,” Vanessa said. “To take someone’s child. To take someone’s friend. To take someone’s future husband. To take someone who would have given you the shirt off of his back.”
According to NBC 5, Lampkins moved to Dallas to start a new life and was preparing for a career in real estate before he was found dead.
“He was doing the work, looking and trying to find himself,” Vanessa added.
Vannessa is urging those who know something about her son’s death to come forward and help her find justice.
“Du’Vonta did not deserve to be taken from us so soon,” she said.
Authorities encourage anyone with information regarding the case to call Detective Josue Rodriguez at 214-671-3994 or [email protected] and reference case No. 079583-2022.
