A pizza shop employee was killed, and a coworker is jailed without bond, authorities said.
DURHAM, N.C. — A deadly shooting inside a Randy’s Pizza in south Durham forced a shopping center to close for hours and rattled nearby business owners, who said the disruption cost them orders and deepened fears about how violence is affecting the local economy.
The killing on Thu., Feb. 26, and the first-degree murder charge that followed are now part of a broader debate in Durham about public safety, staffing and how to prevent shootings as the city balances encouraging crime statistics from 2025 against a troubling burst of gunfire early in 2026. Officials have not released a detailed explanation of what led up to the shooting, and the pizza shop remains closed as the investigation continues.
Police responded Thursday evening to a strip shopping center on South Miami Boulevard, at 5311 S. Miami Blvd., after reports of gunfire inside the restaurant. Officers found a man with a gunshot wound and pronounced him dead at the scene. A suspect was taken into custody at the location as the department’s mobile command unit and additional officers filled the parking lot and investigators moved in and out of the pizzeria.
Relatives later identified the victim as Mohammed Aly, an employee at the shop. Workers and witnesses described a tense scene as people were cleared from the building. A distraught employee leaving the restaurant told a television crew he “wanted to go home,” while others outside appeared shaken and hugged as they waited for police to finish interviews and allow them to leave.
By Friday, customers walking up for dinner found the doors locked. A printed sign told visitors the restaurant would be closed until further notice. The company’s owner, Randy Smith, said in a public statement that the business was heartbroken and extended condolences to Aly’s family and loved ones. Smith said the company was cooperating with law enforcement and could not provide more details because the case remained active.
The shutdown was felt beyond the pizza shop. Business owners in the same center said the police response and crime-scene work closed the property during a prime dinner window. One nearby owner told a reporter she canceled more than a dozen orders on Thursday night, including food already prepared, because customers could not get into the area. Others said the sudden closure left them stuck with staffing costs and perishable products while the center sat quiet behind patrol cars.
For customers, the locked doors were another reminder of how a single act of violence can change everyday routines. Karlene Delapenha, who drove to the shopping center expecting a normal Friday evening pickup, said she hoped the shooting would not spill over and drive people away from nearby storefronts. “We can only hope,” she said, after seeing the closure notice at Randy’s.
City leaders say that hope needs to be matched with concrete steps. Durham City Council member Shanette Burris said violent crime can drain commerce by making people hesitant to visit restaurants and shops. “If you don’t feel safe, you are not going to want to patronize a business,” Burris said, adding that she has heard similar concerns from other owners and workers across her district.
Investigators have not publicly described the relationship between the victim and the defendant, beyond reporting that both men worked at the restaurant. Court records and local reporting identify the defendant as Isaiah Rawlinson, 30, of Morrisville. He was charged Friday with first-degree murder, appointed a public defender and ordered held without bond. Local outlets reported he had no prior convictions and that his next court date is March 18.
Authorities have not said what evidence led to the first-degree murder charge, and they have not provided a public account of what was happening inside the restaurant just before the shots were fired. The restaurant owner told a local outlet it appeared an argument escalated, but police have not confirmed a specific trigger. Reporters monitoring police radio traffic said a caller described someone yelling, “You just killed that guy,” as officers arrived, and an officer indicated the victim was apparently in the kitchen area.
The case is unfolding as Durham’s leadership confronts competing signals in its crime picture. Police leaders have highlighted declines in several categories in 2025, including reductions in robberies and aggravated assaults, while acknowledging that homicides remained steady year over year. At the same time, city officials have cited a sharp early-2026 run of shootings that has fueled public frustration and put pressure on elected leaders to show progress quickly.
Mayor Leonardo Williams has said the city needs a coordinated response involving government, schools and community groups, and he has promoted initiatives that include street safety teams and listening sessions. At a recent public update on violence, residents and activists challenged his strategy, arguing about whether outside partnerships and research-driven approaches will meet the moment. Williams has insisted the problem requires a unified effort and has said it is difficult to celebrate overall improvements when shootings cluster in a short time span.
For the businesses along South Miami Boulevard, the argument is less about policy slogans and more about whether customers will return. Owners said it can take weeks to rebuild trust after a major crime scene dominates a shopping center, even when the shooting was isolated inside a single storefront. Workers also worry about their own safety while commuting, closing up at night or stepping outside during late shifts, especially in corridors where traffic and foot activity stay high after dark.
Randy’s Pizza remains closed as the criminal case proceeds. A local outlet reported that workplace and health reviews may be needed before the shop can reopen because the shooting occurred inside a business. Police have not said when they expect to release additional findings or whether more witnesses will be asked to come forward.
Rawlinson is scheduled to return to court March 18, and investigators have not announced any further public briefings before then. In the meantime, the shopping center has reopened to normal traffic, but the pizza shop’s dark windows and closure sign remain a visible marker of what happened there.
Author note: Last updated March 2, 2026.