A fatal workplace shooting occurred Thursday afternoon February 26, 2026 inside Randy’s Pizza located in the 5300 block of South Miami Boulevard within a small shopping center in south Durham, North Carolina. Durham police responded to reports of gunfire just before 4:50 p.m. at the popular pizzeria that serves the surrounding residential and commercial area along this busy corridor near Slater Road and Interstate 40.
Officers arrived to find the restaurant in chaos with employees and any early evening customers present as they secured the entire shopping plaza to prevent further harm and preserve the scene in this typically steady flow commercial strip that supports local families and workers in Durham County.
Inside the pizzeria investigators discovered Mohammed Aly an employee suffering from a gunshot wound and pronounced him dead at the location despite immediate efforts by first responders. The rapid police presence allowed for a controlled lockdown of the shopping center while detectives began processing evidence from the interior of Randy’s Pizza including the exact area where the confrontation unfolded during what appeared to be a routine shift.
Family members identified the victim as Mohammed Aly who had been working at the South Miami Boulevard location and was remembered by his uncle Darek Afify as a very good man very honest very honorable and a big helper who assisted without question.
Aly’s sudden death left relatives in disbelief with Afify describing the news as feeling like a bad dream and questioning how someone could enter the restaurant armed noting the absence of any visible restrictions on weapons at the business. The young employee’s loss has been felt deeply by those who relied on his reliable and supportive presence during shifts at the pizzeria.
A second man present at the scene was taken into custody without incident and identified through court documents as 30 year old Isaiah Rawlinson of Morrisville who also worked as an employee at the same Randy’s Pizza location. The fact that both the victim and the suspect were coworkers at the establishment pointed to an internal workplace dispute that escalated violently during the afternoon hours turning a familiar job site into the center of a homicide investigation.
Durham police obtained a warrant charging Rawlinson with first degree murder and he made his first court appearance on Friday February 27 2026 where he was assigned a public defender had no prior convictions noted and was ordered held without bond with his next hearing scheduled for March 18.
Randy’s Pizza management posted a statement on social media expressing that they were heartbroken by the tragic incident at their Miami Boulevard location extending deepest condolences to Aly’s family and loved ones while confirming full cooperation with law enforcement and requesting privacy during the ongoing probe. The restaurant remained closed until further notice pending additional reviews by health and safety authorities.
The shooting prompted the temporary closure of the entire shopping center during the dinner rush affecting neighboring businesses and highlighting concerns over workplace safety in south Durham commercial areas. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact authorities as the case proceeds through the court system and the family of Mohammed Aly begins to navigate their profound loss in this south Durham neighborhood.
