Ironsmith Coffee owner shot in neck and face

Jmar Teyvan Tarafa, 31, is now held without bail, after he allegedly tried to shoot an Encinitas coffee shop owner point-blank in the face, according to statements by a prosecutor late yesterday, October 17, 2022.

Prosecutor Helen Kim said the owner of Ironsmith Coffee Roasters told Tarafa to leave his shop, because Tarafa had previously stolen something from the shop. Tarafa became angry and “a verbal argument followed,” according to a news release from the San Diego County Sheriff.

Tarafa did leave the coffee shop, but he hid in the alley behind the store, and then he attacked the owner when he came out a back door, prosecutor Kim told a judge. The shop owner was thrown to the ground and he was face up when Tarafa straddled him. The shop owner was able to pull out a gun and “The two were fighting for the gun,” prosecutor Kim said. Tarafa got control of the gun and aimed it point blank at the man’s face or head, it is alleged.

The gun fired, and bullet fragments entered the shop owner’s head and neck, and other shrapnel went into the leg of a bystander. “The victim got bullet fragments removed from his head and neck, another victim had bullet fragments removed from his calf,” prosecutor Kim told a judge. (The sheriff’s statement characterized these as “minor injuries.”)

Prosecutor Kim said this fracas happened “in broad daylight in front of a lot of people.” The confrontation happened about 8 a.m. on Thursday October 13, 2022, according to the sheriff’s statement.

The injured shop owner was able to run down the street, from the coffee shop in the 400 block of South Coast Highway 101, to a fire station at 415 2nd Street, approximately one long block away, in the coastal community of Encinitas.

The prosecutor said Tarafa chased the injured man and continued to point the gun at him.

“Firefighters encountered the suspect and detained him,” the sheriff’s statement declared.

Tarafa was first held in lieu of $180,000 bail. After the prosecutor’s statements, judge Adelaide Lopez agreed that Tarafa should be held without bail. The judge said, “This is acts of violence on another person, which could result in great bodily injury on others.”

(Judge Lopez was appointed to the bench last June by Gov. Gavin Newsom; previously she was a public defender.)

Jmar Teyvan Tarafa, 31, is described in jail records as a black male, 6 feet 2 inches tall and 170 pounds. He made a startling appearance when he was first brought into court yesterday, wearing a huge afro which looked like a lion’s mane, the long dark curls were bleached to a pale blonde at the tips.

In different photos on his Facebook page, Jmar Tarafa has shorter hair. In his Facebook postings Tarafa has described himself as “homeless” and in one Facebook post from 2019, Tarafa announced that he had just moved to Los Angeles.

Jmar Teyvan Tarafa was next due in court on Oct 26, to confirm a date for the prosecutor to present evidence. Tarafa pleaded not-guilty to six felonies, including attempted murder and assault with a firearm. There is bodyworn camera video evidence in this case.

“At this time, the owner of the coffee shop is not facing any charges,” the Sheriff’s statement declared.