‘I Didn’t Want to Die’: Murder Suspect Surrenders After Cape Cod...

WEST DENNIS, MASSACHUSETTS — A 26-year-old man who turned himself in to police after fatally shooting a 35-year-old man in the head at a popular Cape Cod restaurant has told investigators he acted in self-defense after being jumped, punched, and struck repeatedly in the head with a hard object during a confrontation inside the Moonfish restaurant.

Nicholas D. Campbell was arraigned Monday, June 15, 2026, in Orleans District Court on charges of murder, in violation of Massachusetts General Law Chapter 269 Section 1, and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building. He pleaded not guilty and was ordered held without bail.

The shooting occurred shortly after midnight on Saturday, June 13, at the Moonfish restaurant, 369 Main Street, in West Dennis — a spot well-known among the Jamaican community, especially on Friday nights.

According to a detailed Massachusetts State Police report by Trooper Jessica M. Coray, submitted to establish probable cause ahead of Campbell’s arraignment, multiple 911 calls flooded Dennis Police dispatch around 12:05 a.m. reporting a shooting inside the restaurant and requesting police and medical help.

One minute later, at approximately 12:06 a.m., a caller identifying himself as Nicholas told dispatchers he had shot someone in self-defense after being jumped and stabbed in the head. He said he was coming to the police station. He never arrived at Dennis Police headquarters. Instead, Campbell turned himself in at the Barnstable Police Department.

Dennis officers, including Sgt. Matthew Turner and Officer Shae McHowell, responded immediately. Upon arrival they saw numerous people leaving the area on foot and in vehicles. Directed inside by an unidentified male, they found a man lying supine in the main dining room with two others kneeling beside him. A large amount of apparent blood pooled on the floor from a head wound. Sgt. Turner found no pulse, observed the body was completely limp, noted the blood was not flowing and contained large clots, and saw no chest rise indicating breathing. A spent brass shell casing lay approximately 18 inches from the left side of the victim’s head.

Medics from the Dennis Fire Department arrived and at about 12:13 a.m. determined the victim was not viable for resuscitation. A perimeter was quickly established to secure the scene amid a growing crowd. The building was searched; no suspects were located.

State police investigators, crime scene services, firearms identification personnel, and laboratory staff were called in. The restaurant owner indicated video surveillance was available. Preliminary information indicated multiple shots had been fired and the victim had suffered head trauma consistent with a gunshot wound.

Because Campbell had reported being stabbed in the head, Dennis Officer Sarah Lake responded to Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis. Hospital staff reported no stab-wound victims since the incident, though two unidentified Black males had arrived looking for an injured person.

Around 12:36 a.m., Barnstable police responded to Bristol Avenue in Hyannis for a report of a woman crying in the street beside a vehicle with its hazard lights on. She told officers she had just received bad news about her son, identified as Careeme Harakh, age 35. Family members on scene stated that a man known as “Six” had shot Careeme. They identified “Six” as Nicholas Campbell.

The victim’s father, who had been at the Moonfish with his son, told officers he heard gunshots, ducked for cover, and later realized Careeme had been shot. He saw a male running away but could provide no description. Family members said Odane Morris had been with Campbell at the restaurant. They noted Campbell knew the Harakh family through another relative but said they did not believe the shooting was connected to a prior “beef” involving that relative and Morris.

At approximately 12:57 a.m., Campbell arrived at Barnstable Police Department headquarters with two other men. He approached the front desk and handed Officer Lorne Fellows a black fanny pack containing his Glock 27-M4 pistol and License to Carry. When asked what happened, Campbell said, “I did something bad.”

He was handcuffed and frisked. Officers noted he was holding a balaclava (ski mask), which he said he had been wearing at the time of the shooting. An inside-the-waistband holster was recovered from his right side near the appendix area. Both items were seized as evidence.

While in the booking area, Campbell made spontaneous statements captured on body camera. He described the encounter:

“He just came up to me and started saying what’s up to me so I said what’s up back and started to walk off. As soon as I turned my back and I kept my head straight he just started punching me. And then I seen him… I don’t know what he had in his hand. By the time I looked up I seen him hit me in my head. That’s where everything started. I was falling on the ground…”

After being read his Miranda rights, he continued:

“I’m trying to walk away trying to disengage. I said what’s up back but in like a friendly way… I could see through glimpse of my eye someone swinging and by the time I could look around I caught the first one. So, I plunged forward and I look around and kind of gaze back and he launches again. I seen something an object I don’t know if it was a knife what it was in his hands and he hit me in the head a few time and in the shoulder. And I kind of fell back into some tables. And then he kept running on top of me. And that’s when everything happened. I didn’t want to die. I didn’t know what he had.”

Campbell was secured pending the arrival of state police and Dennis detectives.

In a later interview with state police detectives at approximately 4:24 a.m. at Barnstable Police headquarters, Campbell provided additional context. He said he had been in the United States since 2018, traveling back and forth from Jamaica after his mother was deported when he was a child. He completed high school in Jamaica and speaks fluent English. He had worked at a local lumber yard until injuring his finger approximately six months earlier, undergoing surgery, and now receiving workers’ compensation. He stated he was not under the influence of alcohol and does not like to drink.

Campbell said he wore the ski mask to the Moonfish because he likes to cover his face due to social anxiety, though it was not fully covering his face. Upon entering, he said two men at the front door whom he described as “known bullies” commented on the mask: “you think that ski mask can save you, you keep hiding.” He recognized one as older with whom he had prior non-negative interactions. The comments reminded him of a 2020 incident where he was stabbed. He had reported that incident to police. He said the men were from the Bristol Avenue area in Hyannis and that he knows to stay away from them.

Inside the restaurant, Campbell said the atmosphere felt heavy and he heard his nickname “Six” mentioned. He feared someone might do something to him, possibly rob him of money from his finger-injury settlement. He described being punched by a male wearing a black shirt. Believing the attack would not stop and that he had no other choice, he said he fired “like three times.” He then holstered his firearm, walked toward the exit, and called 911, telling the dispatcher he had discharged his firearm and that friends would bring him to the station.

Campbell said he had been hit with something hard, like a bottle or the bottom of a knife, all over his head and shoulder. Detectives observed dried blood on his head; he refused medical treatment.

He estimated he had been inside the Moonfish for about 15 minutes before the shooting. He chose to turn himself in at Barnstable because he was familiar with the station and his License to Carry had been issued there.

At the crime scene, investigators documented the layout: numerous tables had been pushed together toward the front, creating a large open space with a large black upright speaker. Careeme Harakh’s body lay on the floor next to the speaker. He was described as a Black male, approximately 5’8″, 185 pounds, wearing a black t-shirt with gray “Psycho Bunny” wording, blue boxer briefs, black jean shorts, a black belt, and white Nike shoes. A black baseball cap was located under his left ankle.

Investigators observed an apparent gunshot wound to the head between the eyes and a large pool of apparent blood under the victim’s head. Three spent shell casings were recovered near the body. Projectiles and other forensic evidence were collected.

At approximately 4:13 a.m., technicians from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner arrived and prepared the body for transport to their facility in Sandwich. The autopsy, performed by Dr. Mourtzinos, documented gunshot wounds including one to the victim’s left eye with gunpowder marks indicating a close-range shot. The cause of death was determined to be a gunshot wound to the head; the manner was ruled homicide.

The state police report states that the charge against Campbell was based on incriminating witness statements along with his own acknowledgment that he “did something bad.” The report notes it was prepared for the limited purpose of establishing probable cause and does not contain all information known to investigators at the time.

Campbell remains in custody pending further court proceedings.

HN Reminder: The information in the above report is based on a 26-page charging document submitted in Orleans District Court. This report does not contain all the details submitted to the court and omits information regarding certain witnesses. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The following HN video recaps the night of the shooting at the Moonfish Restaurant and the early stages of the homicide investigation.

Note: HN was unable to attend the arraignment and does not have any new video or images from the proceeding.

[HN VIDEO – PRESS PLAY]