In the early hours of March 30, 2020, Riyad Dominic Campbell, an 18-year-old male, was shot and killed in Baltimore, Maryland. The incident occurred at approximately 12:02 a.m. in the 2400 block of Tolley Street. Officers from the Southwest District responded to a report of gunfire and, while canvassing the area, learned that Campbell had been taken to a local hospital as a walk-in shooting victim.
He was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead by medical personnel.
The investigation into Campbell's death revealed a narrative of a robbery that turned fatal. According to the testimony of a surviving witness, who was a close friend of Campbell, the tragic events began after he, Campbell, and another 18-year-old friend attempted to purchase alcohol at a liquor store on Washington Boulevard on March 29, 2020. Shortly after leaving the store, a group of five to ten individuals allegedly robbed them of their belongings. After the assailants fled, the victims went back to try and recover some of their stolen items.
As they were leaving the area, a vehicle carrying the suspects followed them. A shot was fired from the pursuing vehicle, shattering the back windshield of the car Campbell was in and striking him in the back. The driver, Campbell's friend, then rushed him to Saint Agnes Hospital, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Three individuals were later charged in connection with the murder of Riyad Campbell: Deshon Walker, Devin Thompson, and James Boisseau. In July 2021, Devin Thompson, who was 18 at the time, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. In June 2022, a jury found Deshon Walker, then 20 years old, not guilty of Campbell's murder. The defense attorney for Walker argued that inconsistencies in the timeline provided by the surviving witness, particularly regarding hospital records, contributed to the not-guilty verdict.
In March 2023, the prosecution entered a nolle prosequi for all charges against the third co-defendant, James Boisseau, who was 19 years old at the time. The decision to drop the charges was made after the prosecution informed the judge that they were unable to locate a witness despite multiple efforts. The charges against Boisseau had included two counts of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, among other offenses.
