FORT WAYNE, Ind. — A downtown gas station turned into a crime scene Tuesday evening when 45-year-old Scott Reed Armstrong was shot and later died at a hospital. On Friday, the Allen County Coroner’s Office confirmed Armstrong was the victim, ruling his death a homicide caused by multiple gunshot wounds.
Authorities say the shooting happened around 6:20 p.m. at the Amoco Gas Station, located at 437 E. Washington Blvd — near the corner of East Washington Boulevard and Clay Street. Officers from the Fort Wayne Police Department (FWPD) found Armstrong lying in the parking lot with gunshot wounds. Medics rushed him to a trauma-center hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Within hours, police had a suspect in custody. The suspect, 34-year-old Domonique Drew, was arrested during a traffic stop around 10:15 p.m. near South Clinton Street and East Jefferson Boulevard — just two blocks away from the crime scene. He is held at the Allen County Jail under a preliminary murder charge.
Court records and news reports say surveillance video captured the moment — Drew pulled up to a gas pump in a vehicle, then walked toward the building as Armstrong walked past. As they passed, the suspect allegedly swung around and fired at Armstrong, first shooting him, then continuing forward to fire multiple rounds — the last shot striking Armstrong in the head. After the shooting, Drew reportedly fled in his car.
Investigators say a witness later identified Drew in a photo lineup, and during the traffic stop officers recovered a 9 mm handgun from him — though Drew allegedly told police it wasn’t the weapon used in the shooting, claiming he had thrown the original gun into a nearby river. He also reportedly wrote an apology letter to the victim’s family, expressing remorse for “the damage I’ve caused.”
Court documents offer some insight into a possible motive: Drew allegedly told officers that when he arrived at the gas station, Armstrong spat on him — an act Drew claimed triggered the shooting. Drew also said he had recently lost three family members, including a cousin who died just the day before. Police say the tragic loss does not justify violence and are treating the case as murder.
As of now, the case remains under full investigation by the FWPD and the Allen County Prosecutor’s Office. Detectives are reviewing surveillance footage, gathering witness statements, and canvassing the area for more evidence. Anyone with information is urged to call FWPD or use the anonymous P3 Tips App.
The final chapter to this story is still being written. But for now: a community mourns a life lost, and a suspect sits behind bars, awaiting justice.
