On the evening of August 30, 2023, a violent confrontation occurred at a home improvement store in Indianapolis, Indiana, resulting in the tragic loss of 24-year-old Black male Olajawon Malik Cowherd. Cowherd was employed as a security guard at the Menards located on East 42nd Street on the city's northeast side. While on duty in the lumberyard section of the business, he attempted to stop a vehicle from exiting the premises, an action that precipitated a verbal dispute between himself and a
male customer in the car.
The disagreement quickly escalated from a verbal exchange into a physical altercation near the store's exit. During the struggle, firearms were drawn, and an exchange of gunfire ensued between Cowherd and the customer. Police responded to the scene to find both men suffering from gunshot wounds. Cowherd was transported to a local hospital but succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival. The other man involved in the shooting, identified as 39-year-old Justin Andrew Do, was also taken to a hospital where he died while undergoing surgery.
Investigators determined that the incident was likely a mutual combat situation where both individuals shot one another. Following an examination of surveillance video, witness statements, and evidence at the scene, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department announced that they were not searching for any additional suspects in connection with the case. Authorities concluded that the violence was contained between the two men and that there was no further threat to the community, resulting in no arrests being made following the deadly encounter.
