On a tragic Friday evening, January 14, 2022, the life of 25-year-old Malik Delinoir Douglas was cut short in Martinsville, Virginia. The Black/African American male found himself in the midst of a violent altercation that erupted outside the El Parral, a local Mexican restaurant on Commonwealth Boulevard. An argument that began on the sidewalk involving multiple individuals quickly escalated into a deadly exchange of gunfire just after 11 p.m.
The shootout primarily involved two men,
Orlando Raceem Johnson, 31, of Martinsville, and Laquon Deshawn Moss, 26, of Ridgeway. Both men drew handguns and opened fire on one another. In the chaotic crossfire, a bullet from Johnson's firearm tragically struck and killed Malik Douglas. Johnson himself sustained multiple gunshot wounds from Moss and was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident also resulted in non-life-threatening injuries to a 25-year-old woman who was shot in the leg and a 32-year-old man who was hit in the arm.
Following the incident, the Henry County Sheriff's Office launched an investigation that led to the arrest of Laquon Deshawn Moss. He was taken into custody and is being held at the Henry County Jail without bond. Moss faces a series of serious charges, including first-degree murder for the death of Orlando Johnson, two counts of malicious wounding, three counts of the use of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Malik Douglas, born on October 10, 1996, in Eden, North Carolina, was known as a handyman for Hodge Landscaping and was a member of the Bethel United Way of the Cross Church. He was a father who enjoyed spending time with his daughter and friends, and was an avid fan of the Steelers. His family remembered him for his love of good food and family gatherings.
