People who knew him – and some who never met him – paused Sunday to pay tribute to David Lindsay, a 29-year-old Charlotte barber who was found shot to death inside an SUV last week.
Outside the No Grease barbershop in Mosaic Village, where Lindsay once groomed the well-known as well as the down-and-out, friends and associates held a vigil to celebrate the life of a man described by Mayor Pro Tem Vi Lyles as “a bright light, community advocate, mentor, and inspiration.”
In an email last week, Lyles said Lindsay and her daughter were friends.
“I was always impressed with David when I was in his presence,” she wrote. “He was an incredible person who has left this world too soon. My thoughts, love, and prayers are with David’s family and the No Grease community.”
Police are investigating Lindsay’s death as one of three homicides on June 20. Two other young, black men were shot and killed that same night inside an apartment complex during what police said was a drug transaction. (Police have not said the shootings were related.)
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CMPD has investigated 47 homicides so far this year, putting Charlotte on track for one of its deadliest years since the crack cocaine epidemic in the 1980s and ‘90s. The city had recorded 22 homicides this time last year.
Police have arrested no suspect in Lindsay’s killing, nor have they disclosed a possible motive.
At the No Grease shop where Lindsay worked, friends and mourners left cards and flower. And on social media, people have expressed both sadness and outrage since his death.
Those who knew him expressed shock that a man who mentored others and worked to reduce violence in the black community could die in such manner.
Damian Johnson, who, along with twin brother Jermaine, co-owns the No Grease chain of barbershops, described Lindsay in a Charlotte Observer article as “a beautiful man. Just as beautiful as his haircuts, that’s who he was as a person.”
Johnson told the Observer that cutting hair was like breathing for Lindsay, and barbers nationwide admired his talent.
“He knew the gift that he had,” Johnson said. “He would share that. It made sense for him to share that, even if someone was homeless right then or couldn’t pay… That was Dave.”
The barbershop said on Facebook it would start a scholarship in Lindsay’s memory to help provide training for aspiring barbers.
Meanwhile, Lyles, who is running for mayor in a Democratic primary where the city’s homicide rate has become a campaign issue, said in her email statement that residents must do their part to curb the culture of violence.
“The reasons behind this violence are complex, and each case has its own unique set of circumstances,” she wrote. “One thing I know is that we all have a role in increasing public safety. We must come together as a community, care for one another, support and provide opportunities for our young people, and be unafraid to report or intervene when we see or hear something that promotes a culture of violence.”
