16-year-old suspect arrested in fatal shooting of Howdy Bagel’s Jacob Carter, police say
A 16-year-old boy was arrested Friday in New Orleans in the police department’s investigation of the fatal shooting of Jacob Carter, a co-founder of the queer-owned and operated Howdy Bagel in Tacoma.
The suspect was arrested on unrelated charges in Jefferson Parish outside of the city proper, the New Orleans Police Department said in a statement issued Friday evening. Police said the boy, who was not identified, will be transported to Orleans Parish and booked on suspicion of second-degree murder.
Police are continuing to investigate Carter’s Jan. 5 killing at Bourbon and Kerlerec streets in the city’s Marigny neighborhood. According to local media reports, detectives on Tuesday found a stolen Kia in Bayou St. John believed to be connected to the homicide and abandoned there. No motive in the shooting has so far been outlined by law enforcement.
Carter, 32, was visiting New Orleans on vacation with his husband and business partner Daniel Blagovich. The couple were in the Marigny neighborhood, near the French Quarter — well-known for its nightlife — when police say a person approached Carter at about 1:30 a.m., shot him and fled. Blagovich told The News Tribune his husband died in his arms.
The couple created Howdy Bagel in the throes of the pandemic, amassing a loyal following through a subscription and delivery service that led to lines down the block at the Proctor Farmers Market. Last summer, they opened their first brick-and-mortar to great fanfare. Through very personal stories on their lively Instagram, they grew to be beloved in the community.
Since news of Carter’s death was shared publicly last Sunday, a GoFundMe to support Blagovich and the Howdy Bagel team has garnered more than $250,000.
This story was originally published January 12, 2024 at 7:14 PM.
