Ismael Doumbia, a 50-year-old African American male, was tragically killed on June 3, 2019, while working at a Shell gas station on Freedom Drive in Charlotte, NC. Doumbia was shot by a masked individual during a robbery that occurred around 3:20 a.m. Despite being rushed to the hospital, Doumbia succumbed to his injuries. The incident left the community in shock, as Doumbia was known as a hardworking man who had been providing for his family since 2002.
He left behind a wife and a 16-year-old son.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department worked tirelessly to solve the case. Surveillance footage showed the masked gunman entering the store and firing the weapon, which led to Doumbia's death. In September 2019, Desmond Logan was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon. Logan, however, spent only five months in jail before the charges were dropped. The case against Logan unraveled due to discrepancies in witness descriptions and video evidence. One witness described the gunman as being six feet tall, while Logan was less than five feet, eight inches. Additionally, the gunman in the surveillance video fired the weapon with his right hand, whereas Logan was left-handed.
The dismissal of charges against Logan left the community and Doumbia's family seeking justice. Doumbia's son, Youssef, expressed his grief and determination to provide for his mother, as his father had always encouraged him to succeed in life. The CMPD continued to urge the community to come forward with any information that could lead to the arrest of the true perpetrator. The FBI added $10,000 to the reward for information, bringing the total reward to $15,000.
Despite the setbacks, the community remained hopeful that justice would be served. Friends and family of Doumbia gathered at the Shell gas station to pray for his family and to call for an end to the violence that had taken his life. The case highlighted the impact of violent crime on the community and the importance of continued efforts to bring those responsible to justice.
