On the evening of November 7, 2016, a dispute in Natchitoches, Louisiana, turned fatal, claiming the life of 30-year-old Tommy Wiley Jr. An African American male, Wiley was in the parking lot of the 'Super Stop' convenience store on Texas Street at approximately 10:30 p.m. when he became embroiled in a verbal altercation with another man. The argument escalated into a physical confrontation, culminating in Wiley being shot.
He was transported to Natchitoches Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Witnesses at the scene informed investigators from the Natchitoches Police Department that Wiley and the alleged shooter had a history of conflict. Based on witness statements and their investigation, police identified 31-year-old Cedric Daniels as the suspect. Daniels, also an African American male, was arrested and subsequently charged with second-degree murder. He was then booked into the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center.
In the wake of the shooting, a wrongful death lawsuit was filed against Abubaker, Inc., the owner of the 'Super Stop' convenience store. The lawsuit, brought on behalf of Wiley's estate, alleged that the store had inadequate security measures in place to prevent such a violent incident from occurring. The case proceeded through the legal system, with a district court initially denying the store owner's request for a summary judgment. However, an appellate court later overturned this decision, granting the summary judgment.
