Michael Rashad Payne, a 29-year-old African American man, was found with a gunshot wound and pronounced dead on August 24, 2021, at 642 Williams Road in the Brenner Crossing Apartments in Salisbury, North Carolina. First responders were unable to save him. His death was the third homicide in Salisbury over a three-day period, at a time when the city was experiencing a surge in violent incidents.

Salisbury Police opened an investigation into Payne’s killing. On September 8, 2021, authorities arrested 19-year-old Jihiem Tiquez Leach of Salisbury and charged him with murder in connection with the shooting. At the time of that arrest, Leach was also facing a probation violation stemming from an August 2020 conviction for carrying a concealed weapon and resisting an officer, for which he had received 18 months of probation.

Anyone with information about Michael Payne, the events of August 24, 2021, or the Brenner Crossing Apartments area is asked to come forward.