In the early morning hours of July 23, 2022, a tragic event unfolded in downtown Frederick, Maryland, that cut short the life of 26-year-old Michael Isaiah Olaniyi. A resident of Montgomery Village, he was a father to two young children and worked as a truck driver. Known to his loved ones as 'Zae,' he was described as a young man full of life, with a memorable smile.
On that summer night, at approximately 3:30 a.m., a Frederick Police Department officer on patrol in the 300 block of
North Market Street heard a gunshot. The officer responded to the area and discovered a chaotic scene with a crowd gathered in a parking lot. Within the crowd lay Michael Olaniyi, suffering from a gunshot wound. Officers on the scene immediately rendered medical aid, applying a chest seal to his wound and performing CPR until emergency medical services arrived. He was then rushed to a local hospital, but tragically, he was pronounced dead a short time later.
The investigation into the homicide was undertaken by the Frederick Police Department's Criminal Investigation Division. Detectives learned that multiple people were in the immediate vicinity when the shooting occurred and urged any potential witnesses to come forward with information. Through their investigation, authorities identified a black Maserati Ghibli with a Virginia license plate as the vehicle used by the suspects involved in the shooting.
As the investigation progressed, two suspects were identified. The owner of the Maserati, Benjamin Michael Johnson, was identified and evidence showed him in possession of a firearm just minutes before the homicide. It is believed that Johnson drove the second suspect, Hakeem Earnest Sampson, to the location of the shooting and later transported him to Washington, D.C. An arrest warrant was issued for Johnson, and he was taken into custody on December 22, 2022. He was subsequently charged with being an accessory after the fact to first-degree murder and second-degree murder.
Hakeem Earnest Sampson, whose last known address was in Washington, D.C., is wanted for first-degree murder in connection with Olaniyi's death. As of the latest available information, Sampson remains at large, and law enforcement continues to seek public assistance in locating him. The Frederick Police Department has asked anyone with information about his whereabouts to contact them. While one suspect is awaiting trial, the search for the alleged gunman continues, leaving the family and friends of Michael Olaniyi still waiting for full justice to be served.
