Law enforcement officials for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has confirmed that 23-year-old Dionyah Thompson, who was shot and killed late Monday evening, was the result of a murder-suicide.
Police say that they had responded to a call of a shooting in a local Charlotte neighborhood when Thompson and a man were entering a vehicle outside the Vinyl restaurant. Moments later, a red car pulled up alongside them and fired shots.
The suspect was later identified as Elie Hugo Noel, 33, who was Thompson’s ex-boyfriend. After shooting Thompson, he pointed the gun at himself and took his own life.
The man who was with Thompson suffered minor injuries. Police say he was on a date with the victim at the time the shooting took place.
A manager at the restaurant where the shooting took place told WCNC that he was unaware of the shooting until employees had informed him of what was happening.
“A customer who was on the patio had seen it,” he told the local news station. “They came in in a shock and a panicked state saying somebody had gotten shot and some of my bar staff grabbed me from my office and I dialed 911.”
“As far as I’m aware, everything was good. We’re a pretty casual place,” he added. “Nobody expected anything to happen. It was the night before Valentine’s Day. Nobody expects anything to happen.”
Just a day before, Thompson was tragically killed, four other shootings rocked the city; two resulting in fatalities. One of the two shootings was ruled an accidental death involving a teen, while the other was a homicide. In the other two shootings, the victims survived but face life-threatening injuries.
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7 support. Simply dial 988 or contact them online here.
