CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg police have arrested the man accused of shooting and killing a beloved gas station clerk during a robbery in west Charlotte in June.
Police arrested 30-year-old Desmond Logan and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon.
The shooting happened at a Shell Station on Freedom Drive near Alleghany Street.
CMPD said when officers got to the gas station, they found Ismael Doumbia, 50, suffering from a gunshot wound inside the store.
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MEDIC transported the victim to Atrium Health Carolina's Medical Center, where he later died from his injuries.
After the shooting, authorities released photos and video of the suspect inside the store.
"It was heartache knowing my father's killer was free," the victim’s son, Youssef Doumbia, said.
Friends who spoke to Channel 9 said Doumbia was originally from Africa and continues to send money to family there.
"The person who did it, he doesn’t realize he hurt, not only the community over here, but overseas," family friend, Ousmane Coulibis, said.
(Photo and video: CMPD)
Channel 9's Gina Esposito spoke with the owner of the Shell Gas Station, who said he is heartbroken by the act of violence at his store. He said Doumbia has been working for him since 2002 and leaves behind a wife and son.
"This hardship. This hurt that's in me is just driving me more and more like people won't outwork me anymore," he said.
Matthew Williams said Doumbia was the one who got him the job a few years ago.
"He would wake up every night to be here on time, to come to work seven days for years," said Williams who thinks of Doumbia as a mentor in life.
"He put his time here to make a better life for him and his family so as an older person that was an inspiration for a young man like me," Williams said. "I deff loved him and I know everybody here loved him too."
Neighbor Saundra Bailey and many others were shocked when they learned about his death. The nighborhood had grown to know and love Doumbia over the nearly two decades he worked at the gas station.
"My heart is heavy. My heart is really heavy," said Bailey. "Just straight murder? You're going to come and take somebody's child's life? This is something the Enderly Park neighborhood will not tolerate."
Several people in the community held a vigil in his memory.
There were dozens of stories about Doumbia's kindness and the impact he made on his customers.
"When we heard they were coming out and doing this for us, we really appreciated it," Bintou Kamissoku said. "He was a great father. He just killed our heart. We don't know what to say."
The arrest in Doumbia's murder is easing some pain felt by family and friends who loved him.
The owner of the Shell Station where Doumbia worked said he still thinks about his employee and friend all the time.
"It's really kind of hard to forget this man," the owner said. "I think about him every day. He's been a part of my life for the last 17 years. That's a big relief on everybody. On me, on his family, his coworkers, even the whole community."
Officials have not said how they caught Logan, but the arrest could be the beginning of some closure.
"That's the moment we've been waiting for the last few months," the owner said. "It's been really difficult."
Authorities said Doumbia was working the overnight shift when a gunman came in to rob the store and shot the clerk before fleeing the scene.
Officers roped off the lot and worked under the glare of halogen lights to collect evidence, but their best leads came from surveillance video.
The owner said he is doing everything he can to help the investigation, including handing over surveillance footage from inside the store. He said there were at least five shots that went off.
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