Beloved worker shot 3 times while sleeping, NC restaurant says. Minor arrested
A juvenile has been arrested days after a man was shot three times in his sleep, North Carolina officials said.
Buncombe County deputies said a juvenile suspect was arrested on Wednesday, Feb. 8, in connection with a shooting outside Alejandro Cedillo-Morales’ home. Cedillo-Morales was shot during the attack at his home on Friday, Feb. 3, according to the sheriff’s office.
The Fletcher Police Department arrested the suspect, deputies said in a Facebook post. Fletcher is about 15 miles south of Buncombe County.
Deputies said the suspect “had an altercation with family members in the hours leading up to the shooting.” The sheriff’s office did not publicly identify the suspect because of their age, which they also did not list.
More than 50 round of ammunition were found outside of the home, and investigators determined that one of the firearms used in the attack was an AR-15, according to the sheriff’s office.
Since the attack, community members have rallied around Cedillo-Morales who has worked at Cúrate — a nationally acclaimed Spanish tapas restaurant in Asheville — since it opened 12 years ago, the restaurant said in an Instagram post.
Cedillo-Morales was sleeping in his bedroom during the attack and was shot three times, the restaurant wrote. No one else in the home, including six children and Cedillo-Morales’ sister, was harmed.
“He is the heart of our restaurant,” the restaurant wrote on Instagram. “Anytime a person has the good fortune to cross paths with Alejandro, they are better for it. If you have ever dined at Cúrate, there is no question that Alejandro influenced the success of your experience. He is an integral part of the Cúrate Crew and works tirelessly to provide for his family.”
“I have such vivid memories of Alejandro’s laughter, infectious exuberance and commitment to the craft,” one person commented on the Instagram post. “A magnetic and gentle human that no doubt inspired me and others to be better in and out of the kitchen.”
“Alejandro always made the hard work seem lighter with his positive attitude, jokes, and quick smile,” another person wrote. “I’m shocked and heartbroken and sending positive healing energy to him, his family, and all the Cúrate family!”
“He is such an amazing person and a model employee,” a third person commented. “Anyone that has had the pleasure of knowing him will be saddened by this news.”
Cedillo-Morales is still hospitalized, but he was taken off a ventilator, according to a GoFundMe update on Feb. 7.
“There is still a long road ahead for his recovery and next steps,” the update said. “He is off of the ventilator, but is now dealing with more pain. The doctors need to take a look at his shoulder to see how bad the bone and nerves are affected.”
This story was originally published February 9, 2023 at 9:42 AM with the headline "Beloved worker shot 3 times while sleeping, NC restaurant says. Minor arrested."
