Crime
Rashonda Lowe Arrested for Fatal Shooting of Cookie Shop Owner Jaime Rokkett at The Shops at RedBird in Dallas
DALLAS, TEXAS — A 43-year-old woman has been arrested and charged with murder in connection with the fatal shooting of Jaime Alejandro Rokkett, 53, the owner of Cookies ’N Smoothies, inside The Shops at RedBird on Tuesday afternoon.
According to the Dallas Police Department, officers responded to the 3600 block of West Camp Wisdom Road around 4:00 p.m. following reports of a shooting.
Dallas Fire-Rescue also arrived, but Rokkett was pronounced dead at the scene. The Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office later confirmed his identity.
The suspect, identified as Rashonda Lowe, allegedly entered the cookie business and engaged in a conversation with Rokkett that lasted approximately an hour, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Surveillance footage captured Lowe pulling out a handgun and firing at Rokkett. She then jumped over the counter and fired several additional shots at close range, the affidavit states.
Lowe reportedly left the firearm behind, exited the building through a north-side mall entrance, and fled in an SUV heading toward Camp Wisdom Road.
Following the incident, Lowe turned herself in to Arlington Police, where she was taken into custody by Dallas authorities and formally charged with murder.
During a subsequent interview with a Dallas detective, Lowe described the incident as a “domestic situation with her ex,” while making a gesture suggesting she had shot someone. It remains unclear whether Rokkett was the individual Lowe was referring to in that statement.
The affidavit also cites a conversation with Rokkett’s wife, who told investigators that Lowe had previously been “harassing” her husband and that a restraining order had been filed against her. That detail is under review as part of the ongoing investigation.
Mall management released the following statement in the wake of the tragedy:
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic incident that occurred today at The Shops at RedBird. Our thoughts are with everyone affected during this incredibly difficult time.
This was an isolated, targeted event involving individuals known to each other and not a random act of violence. We are fully cooperating with local law enforcement as they conduct their investigation. The safety of our shoppers, employees, and tenants is always our highest priority.
The Shops at RedBird maintains a comprehensive security program, including 24/7 patrols and surveillance systems. We thank our security team and first responders for their swift response and remain committed to providing a safe, welcoming environment for our community.”
U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett (D-Dallas) addressed the incident on social media, stating:
“My heart is with the loved ones of the victim, and I’m grateful to law enforcement for acting quickly.”
The shooting is being investigated as a targeted incident involving individuals with a prior history.
Authorities have not released further details regarding the motive or the status of the alleged restraining order.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Dallas Police.
The tragic death of Jaime Rokkett — known as “Mr. Jay” by friends and colleagues — has left a void in the local business community, where he was admired for his entrepreneurial spirit and mentorship.
Crime
Mustapha Kharbouch Now-Deleted 2024 Manifesto Published in Institute for Palestine Studies Recovered
Brown University has removed multiple online references to student activist Mustapha Kharbouch in the days following a deadly campus shooting, a move that has drawn public attention amid heightened online speculation—despite law enforcement officials confirming that no suspects or persons of interest have been identified in the investigation.
Archived versions of Brown University webpages show that Kharbouch, a first-year student at the time, was previously listed in several university-affiliated roles, including as a student assistant and Cultural Programming Coordinator connected to the Global Brown Center.
His academic interests were described as focusing on International and Public Affairs and Anthropology, with involvement in Middle East–focused academic, cultural, and student programming.
Those pages are no longer accessible, and Kharbouch’s social media accounts have also been deactivated.
A verified buyer from the United States with the name “Mustapha K.” reviewed a 9MM muzzle brake through the Wing Tactical website on December 29th, 2024 — the same caliber used in the Brown shooting.
There are approximately a few hundred people in the entire United States with that first name + last initial combination.
University officials have not issued a public explanation for the removal of the online profiles.
The changes occurred as online speculation intensified in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, with social media users circulating screenshots of archived university pages and past writings associated with Kharbouch.
Among the materials resurfaced by online users was a 2024 essay authored by Kharbouch and published by the Institute for Palestine Studies as part of a special student essay series titled Genocide in Gaza: Student Essays — Brown University Encampment 2024.
The essay, titled “I Hear the Voice of My Ancestors Calling: From the Camps to the Campus,” was published on August 13, 2024, months before the shooting. The piece is a first-person reflective essay examining Palestinian identity, intergenerational memory, student activism, and questions of hope amid displacement, war, and protest.
The article includes poetic excerpts adapted from “Ancestors Song,” a chant popularized during student-led Palestine solidarity actions at Brown University, and documents Kharbouch’s participation in campus organizing efforts, including sit-ins, hunger strikes, rallies, and the Brown Gaza Solidarity Encampment.
The essay situates these experiences within a broader discussion of decolonial thought, feminist theory, and Palestinian history, including reflections on the 1948 Nakba and the author’s family history as a third-generation stateless Palestinian refugee raised in Lebanon.
The content of the essay is ideological, autobiographical, and academic in nature.
There is no reference to violence on campus, nor any indication of intent or planning related to criminal activity.
The Institute for Palestine Studies has not issued any statement suggesting the piece is under review or connected to the shooting.
Despite widespread online conjecture, law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and Providence Police, have not named Mustapha Kharbouch as a suspect or person of interest, and have publicly stated that there is no evidence linking him to the shooting.
Investigators have emphasized that the case remains active and that conclusions are being guided strictly by verified evidence.
Authorities have cautioned against drawing inferences from online speculation, warning that unsubstantiated claims can compromise investigations and cause undue harm to individuals not implicated by facts.
Media analysts and campus observers have suggested that Brown University’s decision to remove online references may have been taken as a protective or precautionary measure, particularly as misinformation and harassment proliferated across social media platforms following the attack.
Similar actions have been taken by institutions in other high-profile incidents to limit doxxing, targeted harassment, or the misinterpretation of publicly available biographical information during periods of heightened tension.
Brown University has not confirmed whether the removals were temporary, administrative, or safety-related in nature.
Authorities continue to urge the public to rely on confirmed information released by law enforcement and to avoid amplifying unverified narratives.
As of the most recent update, no arrests have been announced, no individuals have been publicly identified as suspects, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with credible information related to the shooting has been asked to contact investigators directly.