Donte Thomas, a 33-year-old male, was working as a clerk at K's Convenient Deli at 8 East Mount Eden Avenue in the Bronx on the evening of February 16, 2021. In a sudden and unprovoked act of violence, a man named Tykwan McLeod entered the deli at approximately 8:40 p.m. and shot Thomas in the face, killing him instantly. As Thomas fell to the ground, McLeod shot him two more times.
The tragic event escalated as McLeod attempted to flee the scene.
The owner of the bodega and another employee intervened, attempting to subdue him. During the struggle, McLeod shot the owner in the chest at point-blank range. Despite his serious injury, the owner and the other employee managed to wrestle the gun away from McLeod. An off-duty NYPD auxiliary officer who was nearby recovered the firearm from the floor.
Law enforcement and emergency services arrived at the scene to find a chaotic and tragic situation. Donte Thomas was pronounced dead at the scene. The bodega owner was transported to a local hospital in critical condition but survived.
Tykwan McLeod, 49, of the Norwood section of the Bronx, was taken into custody at the scene. Following an investigation and legal proceedings, a jury found him guilty of second-degree murder, attempted assault in the first degree, and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. On January 6, 2025, a Bronx Supreme Court Justice sentenced McLeod to 40 years to life in prison for the murder of Donte Thomas and the wounding of the store owner.
