Chef Allegedly Kills Coworker and Injures Another at North Carolina Restaurant — Before Shooting Himself

One man was killed and another was injured after a gunman allegedly fired shots inside a restaurant in North Carolina — before shooting himself.

On Friday, Jan. 17, authorities responded to a call shortly before 11 a.m. local time, following what Raleigh Police Chief Estella D. Patterson called a “troubling event,” per a news conference shared by WRAL.

Patterson said a suspect entered Coquette — a French restaurant in the area — and shot two people, before he later turned “the weapon at himself.” The officer added that the shooting was not a “random incident” and appeared to be a “dispute between parties.”

Of the victims, one was pronounced dead, while the other was left with “non-life-threatening injuries,” according to Patterson.

As of Jan. 17, the gunman remained in critical condition, the police chief added at the news conference.

The deceased victim has since been identified as 26-year-old Jonathan Mark Schaffer, according to multiple outlets, including ABC affiliate WTVD, CBS affiliate WNCN and NBC affiliate WRAL.

The second victim has identified as Jonathan Aguilar Vega, 24, per WNCN and WTVD, while the gunman was identified as George Colom Jr. by WNCN and WRAL. (WRAL also reported that Colom Jr. was a chef at Coquette.)

The Raleigh Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for further information, and to confirm the name of the gunman, on Saturday, Jan. 18.

Patterson said during the news conference that business owners at Coquette had been “very cooperative” with authorities since the shooting.

According to Schaffer’s LinkedIn, and as reported by WNCN, he served as the manager of Urban Food Group — which owns Coquette.

“We were having our daily meeting before the shift began,” Aguilar, the surviving victim, told WRAL while detailing a hand injury from a bullet wound. “One of our employees had brought in a cake to celebrate a bartender’s birthday. She was cutting the cake, and moments later, I was shot.”

Per WTVD, other businesses within the shopping center and local schools were on lockdown during the Jan. 17 investigation. Police said, per the news conference, that “all of the shots” were fired inside the Coquette business.

“Earlier today, Coquette – a beloved restaurant in our North Hills community – was the scene of a terrible tragedy,” the North Hills Facebook page said in a statement. “We are deeply saddened by what happened and our thoughts and prayers are with the families and individuals affected.”

A GoFundMe has since been launched for those impacted by the shooting. It has raised $15,000 of a $30,000 goal as of Jan. 18.

Heather Young, a server at the restaurant, told WRAL that her coworkers have since been “checking” on each other. “Even workers that haven’t worked there in a long time, contacting everybody,” she said. “It’s probably going to get closed down but we’re a tight-knit family here. We all knew each other really well.”

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein announced on X that he spoke with Chief Patterson and offered “whatever assistance she may need from the state.”