A simmering tension outside a bustling New Jersey restaurant erupted into deadly violence in the early morning hours of March 23, 2019, leaving one man dead and another seriously wounded. Nahshon Brown, a 31-year-old man from Newark, was fatally shot outside the Akbar Restaurant in Edison, where a reggae event was being held. Another 40-year-old man from Newark was also shot and critically injured but ultimately survived his injuries. The incident occurred at approximately 1:56 a.m. following a dispute that spilled out of the venue.
The investigation into the shooting quickly focused on Andrew Harriot, a 26-year-old from the Somerset section of Franklin Township, who was also known by the moniker 'Drew Cash.' Authorities identified Harriot as the gunman and issued a warrant for his arrest, charging him with murder and attempted murder. Described as armed and dangerous, Harriot initially arranged to turn himself in through an attorney but failed to appear.
After a brief period as a fugitive, he surrendered to authorities at the Middlesex County Courthouse on April 3, 2019. He was then held at the Middlesex County Adult Corrections Center.
The legal proceedings against Andrew Harriot culminated in a trial where he claimed to have acted in self-defense. In November 2021, a jury convicted him of lesser charges: passion provocation manslaughter in the death of Nahshon Brown and passion provocation attempted manslaughter for the wounding of the second victim. He was also found guilty of unlawful possession of a handgun. His sentencing was scheduled for January 2022. However, the legal saga continued as Harriot appealed his conviction, arguing that the jury had been given flawed instructions regarding self-defense and flight as a sign of guilt. In June 2023, an appellate court agreed, finding that the erroneous instructions had prevented the jury from properly considering his defense. Consequently, Harriot's convictions were reversed, and the case was sent back to the lower court for further proceedings.
