A popular American boxer of Nigerian descent, Isaiah Oludayo Olugbemi, was shot dead on Monday night.
Olugbemi, 27, was found shot multiple times in the area of Meadowmist Way and Stehlik Drive in Odenton, was rushed to Shock Trauma in Baltimore, where he died, according to C.B.S..
A 36-year-old suspect, Nicholas Francis Xavier Giroux, has been charged with first- and second-degree murder in Olugbemi’s death and investigators believe the shooting was targeted and not random.
Detectives obtained video surveillance footage that showed a white man, later identified as Giroux, walking directly toward Olugbemi with a gun before shooting him multiple times and fleeing the scene on foot, according to documents obtained by WJZ.
Police said they interviewed Giroux on June 18 and he confessed to the murder.
Abraham Olugbemi, the victim’s brother, said Giroux was Isaiah’s neighbor and alleged that Giroux threatened the deceased at least two other times with a gun this year; once in January and a second time in June.
Abraham said Giroux cocked a gun in a confrontation with Olugbemi, but when police came to investigate, no arrests were made.
Maryland court records show Giroux was not charged in connection with the alleged incidents described by a family member.
Olugbemi was well known in the DMV for his budding career as a professional boxer. He was a three-time Golden Gloves States boxing champion, including this year.
In May, he scored three consecutive split decision victories to take the heavyweight crown at the National Golden Gloves tournament.
Earlier this month, Olugbemi defeated newcomer Matthew Allen by unanimous decision.
He was also a two-time All-American, a Junior Olympic gold medalist and a two-time Open Regional champion.
His death comes seven months after another prominent Maryland boxer, Anwar ‘The Silent Assassin’ Wingate, was murdered during an armed robbery.
Wingate was shot in the neck after attempting to fight off two men who were able to overtake him by taking him by surprise in November 2023.
