Deshawn Patrick Clark, a 30-year-old African American male, was tragically shot to death on the night of November 3, 2017, in Salisbury, North Carolina. The incident occurred in the parking lot of a Taco Bell located at 510 E. Innes Street. According to witnesses, an altercation took place between Clark and another individual, Tariq Khalid Mosley Jr., outside the fast-food restaurant. During the confrontation, shots were fired, and Clark ran into a neighboring tobacco shop where he collapsed.
He was subsequently taken to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
Following the incident, Tariq Khalid Mosley Jr., a 20-year-old male, was arrested and charged with murder. The Salisbury Police Department apprehended Mosley on November 8, 2017, just days after the shooting. Mosley was initially charged with murder, but a Rowan County grand jury later indicted him on a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. The grand jury's decision was based on evidence presented by the Rowan County District Attorney's Office, which suggested that Mosley had no prior intent to kill Clark.
The investigation revealed that Clark had accused Mosley of breaking into his residence, which may have been a contributing factor to the altercation. Surveillance footage from the tobacco shop showed Mosley inside the store shortly before the shooting. Additionally, six spent shell casings were found in the Taco Bell parking lot, further corroborating the events leading up to Clark's death.
Mosley remained in custody at the Rowan County Detention Center under a $125,000 secured bond. The case was set to proceed with Mosley's arraignment, during which he would formally declare his plea and be advised of the charges against him. The tragic death of Deshawn Patrick Clark marked the ninth homicide in Salisbury for the year 2017, highlighting the ongoing issue of violence in the community.
