SUFFOLK, Va. — A man convicted of murdering his son outside Sentara Obici Hospital in Suffolk was sentenced to 23 years in prison Friday.
The sentencing comes after Earl Boone Sr., 60, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony on April 5, according to Virginia Beach Commonwealth's Attorney Colin Stolle, who was the special prosecutor.
According to a news release from Stolle's office, Boone Sr. shot and killed his son, Earl Boone Jr, on Oct. 28, 2019. The situation unfolded after family members gathered at the hospital after another relative unexpectedly passed away.
When Boone Sr. left the hospital, his son began to walk through the parking lot toward the hospital. Surveillance video showed Boone Sr. approaching his son, the two talking to each other and Boone Sr. pointing at his son before walking away.
After that, Boone Sr. went to his truck, got a firearm, and started shooting at his son. Boone Jr. was walking away and flinched. Boone Sr. continued to fire his gun until his son fell to the ground.
He soon died in the emergency room. Boone Sr. later turned himself in to the police after he was identified as the suspect.
Stolle's office said that Boone Sr. told police that his son was violent and that he had fired him for fighting at work, and his home had been burglarized within a week. Boone Sr. added that he believed his son would beat him up and that he wouldn't allow him to "beat him up on the street."
"He stated that he 'just snapped' and that he 'wasn’t really thinking, I was just shooting and that was it,'" Stolle's office wrote.
Stolle's office also pointed out Boone Sr.'s prior convictions for destruction of property, assault, brandishing a firearm, drug distribution, and failure to appear.