In the early morning hours of August 27, 2016, a night of entertainment at Club Embassy in Virginia Beach, Virginia, turned tragic. Demetrius Darnell McCloud, a 34-year-old male, was on the dance floor of the club, which was hosting an event with nationally-known rapper Young Jeezy. After a brief exchange of words with another man, McCloud was fatally shot in the head from behind and died at the scene.
The immediate aftermath of the shooting was chaotic, with video footage reportedly showing a woman attempting to perform CPR on McCloud in the middle of the dance floor. The incident was not the first instance of gun violence at the nightclub, which had a history of prior shootings. Following McCloud's death, Club Embassy surrendered its liquor license, effectively ceasing its operations.
Within hours of the shooting, Virginia Beach Police detectives began receiving tips identifying the suspect by the street name 'Boss Hog.' Investigators were able to connect this alias to Tobias Kinte Loftin, a 37-year-old from Norfolk with a criminal record. Security camera footage from the club captured Loftin committing the murder and fleeing through a back door. Warrants were issued for his arrest on charges of first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
After a search involving the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, Loftin was located in Charlotte, North Carolina. On September 20, 2016, following a 30-minute standoff at an apartment complex, he was taken into custody. Loftin was extradited to Virginia to face the charges against him. During his trial, two witnesses who were present at the club identified Loftin as the shooter. In June 2018, a jury found Tobias Loftin guilty of first-degree murder, use of a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a felon. He was subsequently sentenced to 55 years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of $45,000.
