Court documents: Shooting victim met accused shooter to sell drugs

Feb. 6, 2023 2:58 pm

Paris Diamond

CEDAR RAPIDS — A Cedar Rapids man who was shot to death on Jan. 8 was reportedly meeting with the accused shooter that day to sell drugs, according to a criminal complaint.

Mohamed Tawfik was found dead in his car by police in the 5600 block of Kirkwood Boulevard SW. He had two gunshot wounds. Officers found him after responding to a call that someone had been shot at 7:22 p.m. on Jan. 8.

Paris Diamond, 21, was arrested Friday for Tawfik’s death and is facing charges of first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, intimidation with a dangerous weapon and going armed with intent.

According to a criminal complaint, Tawfik had been texting Diamond prior to his death, and the two had agreed to meet at Eagle’s Point Apartments at 5504 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, where Diamond would buy drugs from Tawfik.

A witness at the scene told police that Tawfik and another man had been shouting at each other, and the other man approached Tawfik’s vehicle before Tawfik attempted to drive away and drove off the road in the 5600 block of Kirkwood Blvd. SW.

Police found an SS emblem that appeared to have fallen off a car in the area where the shooter was believed to have parked before the incident. Diamond had a 2008 Chevy Impala SS registered in his name, and when police found the vehicle at the address where it was registered, the SS emblem was missing on one side.

Officers executed a search warrant at the address the Chevy was registered at and found a Taurus G3 9 mm pistol that matched two shell casings that were found inside Tawfik’s car.

There was also a large amount of marijuana in a backpack in Tawfik’s car, the complaint states.

Diamond had his first appearance in court Monday and is being held on a $1 million cash-only bond.