Cedrick Harshaw, an 18-year-old African American male from Granite Falls, North Carolina, tragically lost his life on January 5, 2021. Cedrick was a senior at Hibriten High School with aspirations of enlisting in the military. He was known for his love of boxing, music, and rapping, and was cherished by his family and friends for his friendly and loving nature.
His untimely death has left a void in the lives of those who knew him.
The incident that led to Cedrick's death occurred at a local convenience store, the Market Basket, in Caldwell County. On January 4, 2021, an employee at Bolick’s Tire, a nearby tire store, reported being threatened with a gun by an individual who was approaching customers asking for money and transportation. The suspect, described as a Black man in his twenties wearing a red jacket and black pants, was not found by deputies at the time. The following day, a tire store employee saw a person matching the suspect's description entering the Market Basket and notified his co-workers. A physical altercation ensued between the suspect and the tire store employees inside the convenience store. After being asked to leave by a store employee, the suspect exited the store, retrieved a handgun, and fired multiple shots into the store, hitting one of the tire store employees who was not involved in the altercation. The employee returned fire, hitting Cedrick Harshaw. A second tire store employee also fired a round. Both Cedrick and the injured tire store employee were taken to a local hospital, where Cedrick later died.
The investigation into Cedrick Harshaw's death revealed that the shooting stemmed from the incident at Bolick’s Tire the previous day. The Caldwell County Sheriff's Office has been working with the Local District Attorney’s Office to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Cedrick's mother, Dawn Davenport, and his brother, Zonquarius Pierce, were present at the convenience store during the incident. They recounted that Cedrick was confronted by three strangers inside the store, leading to the altercation. Dawn Davenport tried to defend her son during the exchange of gunfire, but Cedrick was ultimately shot and killed.
The investigation into Cedrick Harshaw's death is ongoing, with authorities examining the events leading up to the shooting and the actions of those involved. The community continues to mourn the loss of a young life with so much potential, and Cedrick's family seeks justice for their beloved son and brother.
