On the morning of August 22, 2024, at approximately 8:45 a.m., 24-year-old Nijel La’te Hitchcock of Charlotte, North Carolina, was fatally shot in the parking lot of Danny’s Place, a restaurant located on Church Street North in Concord. The assailant, identified as 26-year-old Deamonte Leeshawn Howard of Concord, fled the scene on foot but was swiftly apprehended by Concord police officers.
Following the shooting, Hitchcock managed to enter a vehicle and attempted to drive away from the scene. Tragically, he lost control of the car, which subsequently collided with another vehicle and struck a utility pole near the intersection of Church Street and Winecoff Avenue. Emergency responders pronounced Hitchcock dead at the scene.
Investigations revealed that Hitchcock and Howard were acquainted, indicating that the incident was not a random act of violence. Howard has been charged with voluntary manslaughter and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is currently held without bond at the Cabarrus County Jail.
Hitchcock's funeral services were held on September 3, 2024, at Rutherford Memorial Park in Concord, where family and friends gathered to honor his memory.
