New Orleans police arrested a 16-year-old in connection with the killing of a Tacoma bagel shop owner, according to police.
Jacob Carter, 32, was killed in New Orleans while vacationing with his husband, Daniel Blagovich, according to a GoFundMe post from the business. The couple owned and ran Howdy Bagel, which opened last May on South Tacoma Way.
“If you knew Jake, you know he was someone who exuded kindness, warmth, and genuine care to everyone he met,” the business posted on Instagram and GoFundMe. “Jake was one of the brightest spots in the lives of everyone he loved. This loss is immeasurable for our community.”
New Orleans police responded to reports of gunfire around 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 5 at the intersection of Bourbon and Kerlerec streets, a few blocks from the busy, tourist-filled French Quarter.
Police found Carter with at least one gunshot wound. He died at the scene.
According to New Orleans TV station 4WWL, a contractor replaced a broken streetlight at the intersection after a reporter contacted the city due to residents’ concerns about the area’s lighting issues.
The 16-year-old had been arrested in Jefferson Parish on unrelated charges. Once released, police said they would take him to Orleans Parish and book him for investigation of second-degree murder in the death of Carter.
As of Sunday afternoon, the GoFundMe has raised over $250,000 to cover operating expenses and employee wages while the shop is temporarily closed. The family has also set up a memorial website at jacobcarter.love.
“As a colleague of Jacob’s, I saw his heart for the marginalized. He was not content to stand on the sidelines but involved his whole being in creating community,” one donor commented. “He is absolutely the best of us and my broken heart will miss him immensely.”
Carter and Blagovich had been married for just over a year, according to Howdy Bagel’s Instagram.
The shop’s website recalls how Howdy Bagel got its start:
“Located deep in the heart of the PNW, sat one Texas boy who loved to bake. Coming from a big family that loved spending time around a dinner table, he wanted to share his love for baked confections with everyone. Fast forward three years and one quarantine later and you get Howdy Bagel.”
Anyone with information about the homicide is asked to contact New Orleans police at 504-658-5300 or Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.