Man shot, killed moments after walking out of south Charlotte restaurant

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Police said a man didn't make it far from the front entrance of a south Charlotte restaurant Monday night before someone shot him to death.

[IMAGES: Man shot to death outside south Charlotte restaurant]

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department spent hours at the Lempira restaurant on South Boulevard near Archdale Drive gathering evidence in the city's latest homicide -- the fourth in 36 hours.

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Investigators said the victim, identified as 41-year-old Domingo Venancio-Tapia, interacted with a group of men inside the restaurant around 11 p.m., and when he walked outside, someone shot him.

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When officers arrived at the restaurant, they found Vananciao-Tapia outside suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

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Mauricio Blanco is the managing director at the restaurant.

He said Vananciao-Tapia was with a friend dining in when the group of men showed up to pick up food to go.

He described the interaction as a friendly exchange.

"It almost looked like they knew each other, in my opinion,” Blanco said.

Blanco’s security cameras captured clear images of the suspects before they took off.

He said he’s given all of the footage to police in hopes they catch the men responsible.

"We're going to be collaborating with police and with everyone that needs to know the details,” Blanco said. “At the end of the day, you're talking about a life. You're talking about a human being."

No arrests have been made.

The shooting death is Charlotte’s 44th homicide of the year and comes after a weekend of violence.

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Channel 9 crime-mapped the neighborhood near the restaurant and over the past month, there have been three armed robberies.

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Police said they're trying to get into communities to bring awareness.

"Regardless of what we see as far as numbers, we do think it makes a big difference. We educate, that's a part of who we are," said CMPD Lt. Chris Dozier.

According to investigators, there are some common threads between much of the city's violence.

Trends in Charlotte's recent violence:

• Suspects and victims are young -- often in their teens or twenties
• Arguments often quickly escalate and end with gunfire

While police have focused on areas like the North Tryon Division and the Metro Division, the latest case was in the Westover Division, which speaks to the point that violence is scattered across the city.

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This is an ongoing investigation. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.

Cox Media Group