Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office Releases Statement Regarding Shooting Incident In Sawmills

SAWMILLS, NC (January 7, 2021) — On Tuesday, January 5, 2020 at 11:32 am Deputies were dispatched to an incomplete 911 call from The Market Basket located at 4018 US HWY 321A in the Sawmills Community of Caldwell County.  Several Moments after the first call was received from the location a second call was received from an employee of the Market Basket and the caller indicated that there was a shooting that had just occurred at the location.  Deputies and First Responders arrived on the scene after several minutes and secured the scene and rendered aid to those injured.  Investigators responded to the scene and began an investigation into the incident.

Investigators determined this shooting incident stemmed from an incident that occurred at Bolick’s Tire which is a neighboring business on the previous day.  On Monday, January 4, 2020 at 9:57 am an employee of Bolick’s Tire reported that he was threatened with a gun after asking the individual to leave the property.  The employee indicated that the individual was asked to leave after approaching several customers of the business and requesting money and transportation.  Deputies responded to the report but were unable to locate the individual that was reported to have pointed the gun which was described as a Black male around 20 years of age with a red jacket and black pants.

The investigation revealed that prior to the shooting another employee of Bolick’s Tire observed a person matching the description of the individual that pointed the gun at their co-worker entering the Market Basket and notified their co-worker of the information.  The employee that made the report about the incident the previous day immediately went to the Market Basket and entered the business.  Shortly after entering two additional employees of Bolick’s Tire also walked over to the Market Basket.  A physical altercation began inside of the store between the employee that filed the report and the individual matching the description of the individual from the previous day.  The physical altercation ceased, and the parties were separated.   The employee of Market Basket requested all parties leave from the store.  Uninvolved witnesses indicated when the individual in the red jacket exited the store, he retrieved a handgun that was on his person and fired multiple shots from the gun after exiting the store.  Two of the rounds that were fired struck one of the Bolick’s employees that was not an active participant of the in the physical altercation.  The employee that was struck retrieved a small caliber handgun that was on his person and fired multiple rounds which struck the individual in the red coat.  The second employee of Bolick’s Tire that was not an active participant of the physical altercation which left the store prior to the individual in the red jacket also retrieved a gun that was on his person and fired one round.  Both persons that received gunshot wounds were transported from the scene by EMS.

Investigators have identified the individual in the red jacket as Cedrick Jovon Harshaw, 18 years of age, of Granite Falls, NC.  Mr. Harshaw later passed as a result of the gunshot wounds.  The Bolick’s employee that received gunshot wounds was treated and later released from medical care.  Investigators are in communication with the Local District Attorney’s Office regarding the circumstances of this incident.