In the early morning hours of June 20, 2021, a dispute at an after-hours party in Providence, Rhode Island, tragically escalated, ending the life of 24-year-old Abdoulaye Diallo, a Black / African American male from Woonsocket. The incident also resulted in the death of 29-year-old Abass Mbaye, who was visiting from Senegal. The violence erupted outside a residence on Cheshire Street at approximately 3:30 a.m.
Diallo and Mbaye, along with a third person, had reportedly entered the party
through a back entrance and were subsequently asked to leave. An argument that began inside the house spilled out onto the street, quickly escalating into a physical altercation involving about ten people. During the chaotic confrontation, multiple gunshots were fired. Both Diallo and Mbaye were struck by the gunfire. First responders arrived to a grim scene, finding Diallo unresponsive on the ground and Mbaye in a Range Rover. Both men were rushed to Rhode Island Hospital, but their injuries were too severe, and they were pronounced dead.
For nearly two years, the investigation into the double homicide continued, with the Providence Police Department reviewing video footage and interviewing witnesses. A significant breakthrough came in June 2023, when a statewide grand jury indicted 30-year-old Kelvin Maldonado of Providence in connection with the killings. Maldonado was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and other offenses.
The subsequent trial revealed that the deadly confrontation stemmed from the victims being asked to leave the party for not paying a cover fee. Prosecutors presented evidence, including video from four different sources and cell phone location data, that placed Maldonado at the scene and identified him as the shooter. In January 2025, a jury found Kelvin Maldonado guilty on two counts of murder, as well as multiple firearms charges. He was later sentenced to four consecutive life sentences for the murders of Abdoulaye Diallo and Abass Mbaye, bringing a measure of closure to the tragic and senseless loss of two young lives.
