Cedric Antoine Willoughby, a 31-year-old African American male, tragically lost his life on April 3, 2016, in Greensboro, North Carolina. Willoughby was shot and killed at the Grab N Go Citgo convenience store located at 637 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The incident occurred around 12:21 a.m. when an exchange of gunfire erupted between two groups of people arguing in the parking lot at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and McColloch Street.
Willoughby, an innocent bystander with no connection to the individuals involved in the altercation, was struck by a single gunshot to his chest and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation revealed that several bullets broke a glass window at the store, and one of the rounds struck Willoughby while he was near a store cooler. Witnesses reported seeing the two groups of people arguing before the gunfire began. The suspect, Delrico Antonio Smith, a 24-year-old African American male, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection to Willoughby's death. Smith was also charged with possession of a firearm by a felon and felony discharge of a weapon into occupied property.
Smith was taken into custody on December 22, 2016, after a brief standoff at a home on East Randolph Avenue. The arrest was part of an ongoing investigation by the Greensboro Police Department, which aimed to gather information about the crime and reassure residents that such violent acts would not be tolerated. The police emphasized that Willoughby was an innocent victim caught in the crossfire of a senseless act of violence.
The case highlighted the broader issue of gun violence in the community, with law enforcement officials and residents expressing their concerns about the safety of their neighborhoods. The tragic death of Cedric Antoine Willoughby serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of gun violence on innocent lives and the importance of continued efforts to address this pressing issue.
