In the early morning hours of January 14, 2018, a vibrant 21-year-old Black / African American woman named Destinie Monique Haywood was fatally wounded in a shooting at a Sunoco gas station in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Known affectionately as 'Boss Dee,' Haywood was a certified nursing assistant dedicated to caring for the elderly. The incident, which also left two other individuals injured, cut short a life described as full of love for her family and friends.
The shooting occurred at the
intersection of Hanna Street and McKinnie Avenue, where Haywood and the others were reportedly ambushed while in a car at a gas pump. When Fort Wayne Police responded to the scene shortly before 1 a.m., they discovered Haywood inside a vehicle in the parking lot. She was transported to a local hospital in critical condition but ultimately succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds. The Allen County Coroner's Office later ruled her death a homicide, the second in the county that year.
The two other victims of the shooting were identified as 16-year-old Tieranie L. Giddens and 25-year-old Keon Daval Oakley Jr. Giddens was found inside the gas station with gunshot wounds to her leg, while Oakley had fled to a nearby street before calling for help, also having been shot in the leg. Both were reported to be in serious condition following the attack. Investigators believed a disturbance in the gas station's parking lot precipitated the violence and were hopeful that surveillance footage from nearby businesses would aid their investigation.
In the wake of the tragedy, questions were raised about the security measures at the gas station, with suggestions that inadequate lighting and a lack of surveillance cameras may have been contributing factors. Despite the ongoing investigation by law enforcement, there have been no public reports of any arrests made or suspects identified in connection with the murder of Destinie Haywood. The case remains unsolved, leaving her family and community still seeking justice for her untimely death.
