Charlotte woman fatally shot months after winning $150K lottery

A Charlotte woman who won a $150,000 lottery prize some months ago was fatally shot outside a restaurant on the eve of Valentine’s Day. According to WCNC, authorities said Dionyah Thompson and a male victim were entering a vehicle when a gunman pulled up and opened fire on them.

The suspect, identified as 33-year-old Elie Hugo Noel, turned the gun on himself after shooting the victims. Authorities also said Noel was Thompson’s ex-boyfriend, adding that the victims were shot after they came out of the Vinyl restaurant. Police said Thompson and the man had gone on a date. He sustained minor injuries from the shooting. 

The bar manager at the restaurant told the news outlet that he did not know what was happening outside the establishment until employees notified him about the shooting. 

“A customer who was on the patio had seen it,” he said. “They came in in a shock and a panicked state saying somebody had gotten shot and some of my bar staff grabbed me from my office and I dialed 911.”

“As far as I’m aware, everything was good. We’re a pretty casual place,” the manager added. “Nobody expected anything to happen. It was the night before Valentine’s Day. Nobody expects anything to happen.”

In October, the North Carolina Education Lottery announced Thompson had won a $150,000 lottery prize with a $5 scratch-off she bought at a 7-Eleven.