Crime
50-year-old Dennis Sharkey killed after shooting on I-29 near NW 72nd Street in Platte County
Authorities have identified the victim of a fatal shooting that occurred Friday night, prompting a partial closure of Interstate 29 in Platte County.
The incident was reported shortly after 7 p.m. on the off-ramp of I-29 and Northwest 72nd Street.
According to the Kansas City Police Department (KCPD), officers responded to a call about a vehicle that had veered off the roadway.
Upon arrival, officers located the vehicle south of Northwest 72nd Street, off the highway on the southbound side. The car had come to rest against a barrier fence on an embankment along the outer road.
Inside the vehicle, police discovered 50-year-old Dennis A. Sharkey, a resident of Liberty, Missouri. Sharkey appeared to have sustained gunshot wounds and was unresponsive.
He was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the shooting likely occurred while Sharkey was driving southbound on I-29, at or just north of the Northwest 72nd Street area. The motive and circumstances leading up to the shooting remain under investigation.
Detectives from KCPD are working to piece together the events that led to this tragic incident. Authorities are urging anyone who was in the area of I-29 between Barry Road and Northwest 72nd Street at the time of the shooting to come forward if they heard or saw anything unusual.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-8477. All tips remain confidential, and your information could assist law enforcement in resolving this case.
The investigation remains ongoing, and no further details are available at this time.
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.