In the early morning hours of October 22, 2022, what initially appeared to be a car crash in the 1500 block of 11th Street in Des Moines, Iowa, quickly turned into a homicide investigation. Responding officers discovered 22-year-old Dok Nyok Akol Dok, a Black male of South Sudanese descent, inside the vehicle with a gunshot wound. He was rushed to a local hospital and later transferred to the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City, where he remained in critical condition for several days.
Dok succumbed to his injuries on October 26, 2022.
The investigation into the shooting revealed that the incident was not a random act of violence. Authorities determined that Dok had been the victim of an attempted robbery during a drug transaction near the Grubb YMCA. As he tried to flee in his car, a shot was fired that struck him. The investigation quickly led to a suspect, and on Monday, following the shooting, police arrested 18-year-old Christopher Wessels Jr. Another individual, 21-year-old Capone Millian Blake, was also implicated and ultimately faced justice for his role in Dok's death.
Capone Millian Blake pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery and voluntary manslaughter. In November 2023, a judge sentenced him to a total of 45 years in prison for the killing of Dok Nyok Akol Dok and for a separate robbery charge. He will be required to serve a mandatory minimum of 22 and a half years. As part of his sentence, Blake was also ordered to pay a civil penalty of $150,000 to Dok's estate. During the sentencing, Dok's father and brother spoke of the immense pain and suffering his death had caused their family and friends, spanning from Iowa to Africa. They shared that Dok, who was born in Egypt after his family fled the war in Sudan, had plans to return to his homeland to open a small business and help his people. In a remarkable display of grace, both his father and brother expressed their forgiveness towards Blake for his actions.
