On a summer evening in Bolivar, Tennessee, the life of 30-year-old Mahmoude Saleh was tragically cut short. On June 19, 2022, at approximately 10:03 p.m., police officers were dispatched to the Bolivar One-Stop gas station located at 320 W. Market Street. Upon their arrival, they discovered Saleh, a male, deceased, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The initial call to the authorities had been about a man being shot, and the scene that greeted them confirmed the violent end to what had likely been a routine evening.
The investigation into the death of Mahmoude Saleh was swiftly launched by the Bolivar Police Department, who were soon joined by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Their collaborative efforts quickly pointed towards a person of interest. Investigators identified Khalil Abuzaid, a 26-year-old co-worker of Saleh, as the primary suspect. Information gathered by the authorities suggested that the shooting may have stemmed from a dispute between the two employees. It was also determined that Abuzaid had fled the Bolivar area immediately following the incident.
The search for Khalil Abuzaid did not last long. Investigators tracked him to the neighboring Madison County, Tennessee. On the morning of June 20, 2022, at around 9:25 a.m., officers with the Madison County Sheriff's Department located and apprehended Abuzaid without any resistance. Following his arrest, Abuzaid was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Mahmoude Saleh. He was then transported to the Hardeman County Criminal Justice Complex, where he is being held pending his arraignment. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting remains an active and ongoing matter for both the Bolivar Police Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
