Panthers’ owner, head coach make special visit to restaurant where owner was killed

Panthers owner David Tepper and head coach Matt Rhule paid a special visit to a legendary Charlotte restaurant.

Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper and head coach Matt Rhule made a special visit to a legendary Charlotte restaurant Tuesday. The stop at Brooks’ Sandwich House had special meaning because the owner of the local legend had been senselessly murdered in December.

From Panthers.com

David Brooks’ twin brother Scott was murdered on an early December morning when he arrived at the eatery. Tragic. Senseless. A revered community member taken away in an instant.

After a period of grieving and recovering, David and his family re-opened the sandwich shop this past Saturday. As you can imagine, the grieving and recovering is still ongoing.

“I’m doing OK,” Brooks said. “Sometimes it’s a struggle from day to day because things have changed so much. Without the support of my wife and kids…they kept pushing me and kept pushing me. I knew we had to go on.”

David and Scott Brooks were running the three-generation, family-owned business that was started by their father, CT, in 1973. The small, counter-serve restaurant is known for its burgers, hot dogs and chili. For the past two months, the popular restaurant had become a place for people to grieve and remember. Now it is again a place to eat and celebrate.

Tepper and Rhule brought along a team helmet autographed by both the owner and head coach.

“I love going to local places and I love to eat,” Tepper said. “Places like that are landmark-type places. I’m happy to go there. I’ll be happy to go again. It was a lot of fun.”

The owner and coach went to the counter, and followed the restaurant’s tradition, ordering them “all the way.”

“Fantastic,” was Rhule’s review. Tepper added, “”There is only one way to go. and that’s all the way.”

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Police are still looking for the suspects, who authorities believe were attempting an armed robbery of Scott Brooks as he showed up to open the cash-only restaurant. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and the Charlotte office of the FBI are offering a combined $21,000 reward for informing leading to an arrest. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.