Washington Man Sentenced to 32 Years for Fatal Shooting After Flag Football Game
Antonio Hawley, 23, received a 32-year prison term for killing Aaron Wiggins during a flag football match at Watkins Elementary School in 2021.
In October 2021, a flag football game at Watkins Elementary School in Washington, D.C., ended in tragedy when Antonio Hawley retrieved a handgun from a teammate’s bag and fired 17 rounds at Aaron Wiggins, striking him 13 times. The shooting took place after the field lights were turned off and Wiggins scored the winning touchdown, prompting heated verbal exchanges. Hawley, then 18, was found guilty on February 3, 2026, of first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a violent crime, and carrying an unlicensed pistol.
On October 9, 2026, Judge Danya Dayson sentenced him to 32 years in prison with an additional five years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and interim Metropolitan Police Department Chief Jeffery Carroll praised the investigative and prosecutorial teams for securing the conviction.
Why it matters
The case underscores how a youth sports rivalry can escalate into lethal violence, prompting concerns about safety and gun access.
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