RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA: David Millette, a popular smokehouse manager in North Carolina, died after being punched by a stranger on the street on August 26.
He was 27 years old and worked at Midwood Smokehouse, a restaurant chain with locations across the Carolinas.
When was David Millette attacked?
According to the Raleigh Police Department, the attack on David Millette happened on August 26 at about 2.30 am on the 500 block of Glenwood Avenue.
Millette was found lying on the ground with serious injuries and died at a hospital. WTVD reported that he was punched and his head hit the ground.
He was transported to the hospital by EMS, but her later succumbed to his injuries.
The reason for the attack is not known, however, it has been reported that the two had some minor altercation.
On Saturday, September 2 at around 1.39 am, with the assistance of Fuquay Varina Police Department, Raleigh police arrested Tyrell Jarue Moore, 23, and charged him with murder, they announced in a press release.
He was booked without bail into the Wake County Jail and is set to appear in court on Tuesday, September 5.
How did David Millette’s friends and co-workers react?
Millette’s death has left his co-workers and friends devastated. Midwood Smokehouse, in a statement on Facebook, said that he worked at all their locations at one point or another and left an impression on hundreds of them over the years.
“We will remember his big smile, his work ethic, and the warmth he brought to work everyday,” the statement said.
“Please excuse any short notice closures in the coming week as we mourn the loss of our friend,” it added.
Midwood Smokehouse managing partner Cov Deramus told local NBC affiliate WRAL that Millette’s energy was infectious.
“He built a great restaurant by assembling a great group of people,” Deramus said, adding, “His presence, his impact on these people was so strong that we can’t even get open today because everybody is so upset and devastated by his loss and his absence.”
Police Chief Estella Patterson told WRAL that the department has increased patrols in the area where the attack occurred. The area has seen an uptick in crime this summer.
“We’re going to continue to do that to make sure that we have vibrancy in that area but also that it’s a safe environment,” she said.
What are the authorities doing to keep the area safe?
Given past incidents of killing and violence on the same street, Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said safety was their first priority.
She called the incident "horrendous" and "sad. She said Raleigh police need eyewitnesses and surveillance video to help with their investigation.
"We really made a commitment to the neighborhood that we were going to be proactive and that's what I've seen our police chief do," Baldwin said
They've also increased the parking fines from $30 to $200 for those parking in some neighborhoods who don't live there.
"So what we are seeing is when people come out of the bars at 2 am, they are not hanging around like they used to, they're leaving. That's what we want to see so we think this police presence is helping," Baldwin continued.
"We've been working hard to figure out what can we do because safety is our No 1 priority. We really made a commitment to the neighborhood that we were going to be proactive. And that's what I've seen our police chief do," she concluded.
