A Nigerian immigrant tire shop worker did his job, a customer fatally shot him

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September 19, 2024 | 03:44 PM ET |

CAPITOL HEIGHTS, Md. – Homicide Unit detectives are seeking the community’s assistance in identifying two suspects wanted for a fatal shooting at a tire shop over the weekend. The victim has been identified as 41-year-old Anthony Okoye of Bladensburg. A reward of up to $25,000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest and indictment in this case.

In a blast of gunfire, an apparent customer shot Okoye twice after he finished servicing tires on the car, said Thomas Okoronkwo, the managing director of Ameritech Tire on Marblewood Avenue in the Capitol Heights area. Prince George’s County police officers responded at about 6:30 a.m. and found Okoye with gunshot wounds. He died at a hospital, according to police.

Police said they are searching for two men who fled the scene in a dark-colored Mercedes sedan after the fatal shooting. Detectives are working to determine a motive, police said, but are looking into an argument after the tires were serviced.

Okoronkwo, who was not present at the time of the shooting, said the incident was caught on surveillance footage. He said after Okoye finished the car repair, one of the men could be seen attempting to leave in the car and another argued with Okoye before one of them shot the tire technician.

During the argument, Okoronkwo said, the men were berating Okoye, calling him a racial slur.

Okoye, of Bladensburg, immigrated to the United States about a year ago, said Okoronkwo, who remembered him as a “very caring, very respectful young man,” who had worked his way up to being a technician.

It’s so sad, and it’s very unfortunate that this type of thing happened in our community … to lose a young man like this,” Okoronkwo said. “Our community has to do so much to enlighten our youth about the danger of violence. … It’s very heartbreaking to see people dying this way, of gun violence, for no reason.”