Crime
Juvenile Carjacking Suspect in Custody After Fleeing Into Kentridge High School Parking Lot
The suspect was found to have entered the high school, located and taken to into custody without incident
UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 5, 2024 – At around 9:30 a.m. this morning Kent Police responded to a report of a carjacking after the victim called 911.
The victim, a 27-year-old Newcastle man, reported that the suspect had posed as a purchaser of a vehicle he had for sale.
Following a test drive and a discussion about the price for the vehicle the suspect produced a firearm and took the vehicle.
The suspect fled into the parking lot of Kentridge High School where the unoccupied vehicle was located by police.
The suspect was found to have entered the high school, which was immediately placed on lockdown.
The suspect, who is a juvenile and will not be identified further at this point, was located and taken to into custody without incident and there is no ongoing threat to safety at the school.
The school will remain on a modified lockdown while police process evidence of the carjacking.
ORIGINAL REPORT:
Kentridge High School is currently under a full lockdown. Local law enforcement agencies are actively searching for a potential suspect who may have entered the school while it was placed on lockdown.
It is important to emphasize that there is no active shooter situation at this time.
A witness at the scene told Channel2 NOW that they saw numerous police officers surrounding Kentridge High School, while concerned parents and crying students gathered on the sidewalk.
According to a source, authorities are currently attempting to negotiate with the teen they have located, while a helicopter continues to circle overhead. One of the two teens has been found, and students can hear police communicating over the intercom. (As reported by my daughter at KR.)
As at the time of this report, there has been neither confirmation nor identification of any victims.
No suspects have been identified, and there has been no information immediately released regarding any arrests.
Police ask public to please stay out of the area.
This is a developing story that will be updated when more information is available.
Crime
Jonathan Schaffer killed in shooting inside Coquette Brasserie at North Hills in Raleigh
According to witnesses, George Colom, the executive chef at Coquette, entered the restaurant before 11 a.m. and fatally shot Jonathan Schaffer, a fellow employee.
Two employees of Coquette Brasserie have identified the gunman involved in Friday’s deadly shooting, which left one employee dead and another injured.
The incident unfolded inside the French restaurant, located at 4351 The Circle at North Hills Street in Raleigh.
According to witnesses, George Colom, the executive chef at Coquette, entered the restaurant before 11 a.m. and fatally shot Jonathan Schaffer, a fellow employee.
Colom then shot Jonathan Aguilar, another employee, who sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
After the shootings, Colom turned the gun on himself. He remains in critical condition, according to Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson.
Chief Patterson stated that all shots were fired inside the restaurant and the incident appeared to stem from a personal dispute.
She emphasized that there is no ongoing threat to the public.
Urban Food Group, the company that owns Coquette, had listed Colom as the restaurant’s executive chef on its website. However, his name has since been removed.
Colom has a notable criminal history:
In September 2024, Colom was involved in a crash in Orange County, North Carolina, and pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a misdemeanor charge of leaving the scene of an accident. He was ordered to pay $193 in court costs.
In January 2011, Colom was convicted in federal court for possessing a stolen firearm in New Mexico. He was sentenced to three years and four months in prison. The charges stemmed from a 2010 incident.
After his release from federal prison, Colom returned to North Carolina and transitioned into the restaurant industry. According to his LinkedIn profile, he initially worked in the Wilmington area before moving to the Raleigh-Durham region around 2017.
Before his incarceration, Colom reportedly attended culinary classes at Central New Mexico Community College, where he honed his skills as a chef. His social media accounts feature photos of his culinary creations alongside images of firearms tagged with evidence markers from the U.S. Department of Justice.
State court records indicate that Colom is originally from Hubert, Onslow County, North Carolina, near the coast. His record also includes minor drug charges.
The Raleigh Police Department continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident. Chief Patterson has assured the public that no additional threats exist, and authorities are working to provide clarity to the community.
Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the Raleigh Police Department or submit tips anonymously.