Man charged in deadly Cape Cod bar shooting allegedly told police "I did something bad," claimed self-defense

A 26-year-old accused of shooting and killing another man inside a West Dennis, Massachusetts restaurant and bar over the weekend turned himself in to police and admitted he was the gunman, but claimed he acted in self-defense, a prosecutor said in court Monday.

Nicholos Campbell is charged with murdering Careeme Harakh of Hyannis at the Moonfish Restaurant & Tavern on Main Street. A not guilty plea was entered on Campbell's behalf in Orleans District Court and a judge ordered him to be held without bail.

Nicholos Campbell charged with murder

The shooting happened early Saturday morning, just after midnight. Prosecutor Alexandra Isaacs said several people called 911 at about 12:05 a.m. to report the incident. One minute later, Isaacs said Campbell also called 911 and told the dispatcher he "had to shoot someone to defend himself because he was jumped and stabbed in the head."

Responding officers found Harakh lying on his back at the restaurant, with blood on the floor. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Isaacs said there is video surveillance at the restaurant that will be given to investigators later. 

Campbell turned himself in to police and told two officers "I did something bad," according to Isaacs. She said he brought a ski mask to the police station that he was wearing at the time of the shooting.

"The defendant did give a version of events ... alleging that the victim and/or someone else with him did attack him at that time, and so he responded with gunfire," Isaacs said.

She said customers and restaurant employees did not witness the altercation that Campbell said happened before the shooting.  

"Classic case of self-defense"

Campbell's lawyer, Emir Sehic, said his client is a Georgia native who has been on Cape Cod "for a number of years" and has family in Centerville. He called the shooting "a classic case of self-defense."

"This was supposed to be a good night out," Sehic said.

Sehic said there were many people at the restaurant at the time, and said Campbell was talking to someone else at the bar when he was approached by Harakh. The defense says Harakh was "the primary aggressor in this situation" and knew Campbell previously.

"This is a law-abiding, good person - horrible situation - who had to do something bad," Sehic said about Campbell.

He said that at the police station, Campbell turned in his gun that he's legally allowed to own and told officers "I didn't want to die." Sehic said Campbell had to get a metal staple in his head from the stabbing. He also said the ski mask, or balaclava, is something that Campbell wears regularly for cultural reasons.

"I think with a little bit of an investigation, I think the commonwealth is going to see what this case really is," Sehic said.

Campbell is due back in court on July 9.

Moonfish Restaurant "trying to make sense of what happened"

Isaacs said the Moonfish restaurant is popular among the Jamaican community, particularly on Friday night. Owner Velma Mitchell posted to Facebook that she was keeping the victim's family in her thoughts.

"I also keep everyone who has been affected by this tragedy in my prayers, including our staff, customers, and community members who are hurting and trying to make sense of what happened," Mitchell said.