Hillsborough, North Carolina — A White 83-year-old great-grandfather passed away from his injuries yesterday, weeks after a Black man shoved him to the ground after allegedly stealing a cartload of Ryobi power tools from his job at Home Depot.

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The initial incident originally occurred on Oct. 18, when a masked thief quickly exited the home improvement store with three stolen pressure washers. Surveillance footage showed the victim, Gary Rasor, approaching the thief as he wheeled a shopping cart out of the store. The man then forcefully shoved Rasor onto the concrete floor, knocking his skull against a ceramic plant pot, before fleeing the scene.

The suspect, who was confirmed by Hillsborough Police to be a Black male approximately 6 feet tall, fled the scene in a white sedan. At the time of this article, the suspect is still at large.

Gary Rasor, meanwhile, was hospitalized for injuries sustained immediately after the incident. He suffered multiple bone fractures, a heart attack, and a complete loss of mobility. While hospitalized, he spent his 83rd birthday with his wife, Yovone.

According to WRAL News, Gary began to show signs of recovery, starting rehab and even purchasing plane tickets to meet his newest granddaughter. But on the 23rd of November, his condition drastically took a turn for the worse, prompting a sudden trip to the ICU where he later died.

“It’s just hard, and I know it sounds silly, but I’m still waiting for him to come back home.”

Yovone Rasor

Yovone told reporters that following the assault, Rason was optimistic and hopeful before seeing the video. “He was very upbeat, wasn’t worried about anything until he saw that video. He lost it… he just lost it,” Yovone recounted.

Following his death, the North Carolina medical examiner went on to rule Rason’s death a homicide, citing complications from the many injuries sustained in the assault as the cause of death. Mr. Rason’s demise has “rejuvenated” efforts of local law enforcement to apprehend the alleged Black killer and bring justice to a community outraged at the blatant disregard for life.

Investigation

The Hillsborough Police Department immediately responded to the assault with a search for the suspect, claiming on their public Facebook page that the Black male suspect “fled the scene in a white, 4-door, Hyundai Sonata with a North Carolina Temporary Tag obscured from witnesses.”

Yovone told reporters that Rasor was already familiar with the perpetrator, having personally witnessed him steal from the store many times previously, stating:

“He knows the guy is a thief. He’s been there, he’s seen him in the store before. And what he told me was that sometimes the guy will buy one or two items so he has a receipt, and then he’ll add more stuff to his cart and flash the receipt.”

Yovone Rason

The investigation and search for the suspect are currently ongoing with the Hillsborough Police Department requesting that citizens be on the lookout. Following Rasor’s passing, they renewed their request for information from the public in a statement labeling the assailant a “menace to society.”

Legacy

An Army Veteran, grandfather of 9, and great-grandfather of 6, Rasor was a customer favorite at the store, with many referring to him as “Mr. Gary” and making a point to greet him when shopping.

Rasor’s family is understandably heartbroken and outraged over the incident, with his son Jeff saying “It’s just beyond our comprehension that someone would do this for a couple of power washers, that just is mind-boggling.”

His stepdaughter Leigh Bucholtz told reporters, “What I want is for the attacker to be apprehended immediately. I want his face on every TV, in every newspaper, on billboards and social media until there is no place for him to hide.”

“My first priority was Gary and his care but now that he’s passed,” she continued, “my next priority and the best way to honor Gary is to catch his attacker.”

“This is 100% planned and to include violence for a couple of power washers. It’s almost beyond comprehension,” Jeff Rasor strongly stated. “I’m not gonna stop. We’re gonna keep looking and someday they’re gonna make a mistake and that day will be a good day.”

The Black violence epidemic that is currently plaguing the United States has only made stories like these commonplace in local headlines across the country. Just this year in Decatur, Alabama, a deranged Black man—prone to psychotic episodes and who was well known to law enforcement—was arrested for his alleged role in a gruesome vehicle attack that saw the death of White grandmother, Sherry Sain. At a Walmart in Ohio, a Black career criminal was arrested after allegedly shooting and killing a White father-to-be as he attempted to flee the scene of a robbery. The incident, police said, was over stolen cell phone cases.

A GoFundMe has been set up to assist the Rasor family during these difficult times. The Justice Report’s coverage of the killing of White grandfather, Gary Rasor, is ongoing and this article will be updated as new details emerge.

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