Des Moines man was killed by teens claiming to want to buy pot, court records show

Two teenagers told a Des Moines man they wanted to buy marijuana from him, but decided instead to rob and shoot the 23-year-old in broad daylight, leaving him for dead on the city's north side, police say.

Gregory Samuel Hampton Jr. and Adam Ahmad Ismail, both of Des Moines, are facing first-degree robbery and first-degree murder charges for their alleged roles Oct. 10 in the death of Rashid Mohamed Ibrahim. The young man was shot about 1:30 p.m. in the 1600 block of Ninth Street in the River Bend neighborhood, Des Moines police have said. 

Hampton and Ismail, both 18 years old, met with Ibrahim that day under the pretenses of a drug deal. But the duo never intended to make a purchase, according to identical criminal complaints detailing each man's charges. 

"Multiple parties, including (each defendant), went to the victim's location with a predetermined plan to commit a robbery against the victim," the complaints from police state. Witnesses and "the defendant himself" told police that Ibrahim and the suspects began to argue and "the victim was shot during the narcotics transaction and robbery." 

Bystanders and police found Ibrahim with a gunshot wound to the torso. They attempted CPR on the man before he was taken to MercyOne Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Ibrahim has been described by a friend from high school and a former coworker as a kind and quiet. Amy Raker, who knew Ibrahim while the two worked at Gordman's, said she was surprised to hear of his death.

"I don't care where he was on his life's journey," she said in a Facebook message. No one's life should be taken so early at any cost." 

The suspects ran away, although they were eventually identified. Physical evidence and surveillance footage captured the "actions of the defendant" during the incident, according to court records. 

The bond for Hampton and Ismail has been set at $1.5 million each. A call to Ismail's attorney, Wendy Samuelson, was not immediately returned last week. An attorney for Hampton has not yet been listed.

Both are due in court Friday, court records show. 

Court records show that this is Ismail's second time facing first-degree robbery charges. Ismail is the suspect in the early-morning May 22 robbery of the Walgreens at 2545 E. Euclid Ave., when he was 17 years old, according to a criminal complaint from Des Moines police.

Witnesses told police a masked Ismail was armed with a gun when robbed the business about 3:45 a.m. He took money that had a GPS tracker in it, and Des Moines police were able to keep tabs on his whereabouts. Ismail was arrested as he parked his mother's car outside his home, police say.

A motion to have that case transferred to juvenile court was declined, citing his age and previous unrelated theft and assault charges he faced as a minor. Ismail is scheduled to go to trial for that case Dec. 16.

Hampton — who, according to court documents, has been close friends with Ismail for years — was also a suspect in a string of robberies earlier this year, a search warrant application shows. He has not been charged with any crime in Polk County prior to the recent murder and robbery allegations.

Follow the Register on Facebook and Twitter for more news. Tyler Davis can be contacted at tjdavis@dmreg.com or on Twitter @TDavisDMR.

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