Isaac Hamilton: Basement dispute escalates to fatal Newport shooting
A preliminary hearing revealed that a 25-year-old man allegedly fired two shots at his neighbor over a complaint about pet waste, resulting in one fatality.
By Austin Reed ·
A Campbell County judge heard details Thursday regarding the fatal shooting of Damien Serrano in Newport, Kentucky.
Investigators testified that the confrontation began with a verbal argument over dog waste in a basement. One investigator noted that witnesses speculated this specific issue sparked the initial dispute. The verbal exchange quickly escalated, with one officer describing it as progressing to a simple misdemeanor assault. Hamilton later told police that Serrano punched him in the genitals during this phase of the conflict.
After the two men separated and walked toward their respective homes, they continued arguing. A witness stated that Hamilton returned to his residence and came back outside carrying a gun. That witness reported hearing Hamilton say, "let's see who's big and tough now." Hamilton claimed Serrano then struck him in the face. While Hamilton said he had facial injuries, investigators noted he had no broken bones or black eye, only redness.
Hamilton stated he fired his gun twice after being hit in the face. However, a preliminary coroner's report indicated Serrano was only shot once. Serrano was transported to a hospital where he later died from his injuries. The incident occurred in the late-night hours of October 23. Hamilton is currently 25 years old and faces a charge of felony murder. He awaits a potential indictment from a grand jury, and no future court date has been set.
The hearing took place on Thursday afternoon in Campbell County. Investigators presented the sequence of events to the court, focusing on the timeline from the initial argument to the final discharge of the weapon. The defense did not present a detailed counter-narrative during the preliminary proceedings. The case remains pending further legal action.
