On August 24, 2017, a former employee entered a popular downtown Charleston, South Carolina restaurant, killed the executive chef, and held a person hostage for several hours, before being shot and injured by the police, ending the standoff. The victim was 37 years old and left behind a wife and two young children. The former employee who is accused of murder had an extensive criminal background, including violent crime, theft, and drug charges, as well as a history of mental illness, according to media reports.