Nearly a year after the shooting death of the co-owner of a popular NoDa sandwich shop, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said Tuesday that they have arrested a second suspect in the killing.
Steven Staples, 31, has been charged in the Dec. 9, 2019 death of Scott Brooks, CMPD said.
Staples already is in custody on unrelated charges, according to police.
HOMICIDE ARREST: Steven Staples has been charged for the murder of Scott Allen Brooks. Homicide Unit detectives continue to investigate and ask anyone with information to leave it anonymously with @cltcrimestopper. pic.twitter.com/aFFU78T3PP
— CMPD News (@CMPD) November 17, 2020
In March, 33-year-old Terry Connor Jr. was arrested and charged with murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon in connection with Brooks’ death. Connor subsequently was charged in the January shooting deaths of a man and woman in north Charlotte.
CMPD said the investigation into Brooks' killing still is active.
Brooks was shot and killed around 5 a.m. December 2019 in what police say was an attempted robbery. They searched for two men seen on surveillance tape, and a reward for information leading to an arrest was up to $21,000 early this year.
The killing shocked longtime supporters of the popular restaurant that has been operating since 1973. Many left flowers at the small building in the days after the shooting, and contributed more than $42,000 to a GoFundMe established to pay for funeral costs and a college fund for Brooks’ son.
Brooks Sandwich House closed for about two months, but when it reopened Feb. 1, patrons lined up around the block for some of Brooks’ famous burgers with chili – and just to show support for Brooks’ twin brother, David.
After Connor was arrested in March, David Brooks said, “I’m not sure if (the arrest) starts the healing process or not. Nothing’s going to bring my brother back."