A man who was shot and killed by officers last month is believed to have been an employee of Hibachi Buffet. The restaurant is the subject of a human trafficking investigation and was searched by authorities on Thursday. BURLINGTON, N.C. -- Burlington Police say a possible human trafficking case is connected to a deadly officer-involved shooting that happened last month. Assistant Chief Brian Long with Burlington Police Department said that during the July 23 incident at a home on Dorsett Street, officers noticed elements of human trafficking. Long could not be specific with what those elements were, citing the ongoing investigation. During the incident, Rosalio Hernandez Ortega was shot by officers after he refused to drop a machete as he walked toward officers. The officers tried to use a taser on him, which did not work. Ortega was still not compliant and was subsequently shot by the officers. He died at the scene. Investigators believe Ortega was an employee at Hibachi Buffet located at Holly Hill Mall. On Thursday, ALE, Burlington Police, and Homeland Security officials executed a search warrant of the restaurant. Friday, a spokesperson for Homeland Security confirmed that one person, a management staff, was arrested on state criminal charges. The spokesperson said the investigation continues and there are possibilities for federal charges to be filed against the unnamed individual. Long says the owner of the home on Dorsett Street where Ortega was staying is also the owner of the Hibachi Buffet. A neighbor said she saw several groups of people going in and out of the house in vans on multiple occasions. She also said a picket fence built on the porch to hide many shoes at the entrance of the house was something she found odd. She added that she thought the house may have been a boarding house but didn't think there would be a connection to human trafficking. A spokesperson for ALE says the case does not involve children, but possibly employees of the Hibachi restaurant. This is a developing story. Keep checking back for updates. Follow WFMY News 2 on Facebook and Twitter<doc-sep>Burlington police and the N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement Branch are investigating a possible human trafficking case that stems from an investigation into an officer-involved shooting on Dorsett Steet in Burlington. Burlington police and the N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement Branch are investigating a possible human trafficking case that stems from an investigation into an officer-involved shooting last month.Assistant Chief Brian Long of the Burlington Police Department said that as officers investigated the July 23 incident at 2214 Dorsett St., the Criminal Investigative Division recognized elements of human trafficking at that residence. Officers say during that incident they shot and killed 33-year-old Rosalio Ortega because he advanced at them while wielding a machete and Ortega refused to drop it even after they used a stun gun on him.The owner of the home where the man was staying is also the owner of Hibachi Buffett. His other home on Tremore Club Drive in Burlington and the Hibachi Buffet restaurant at Holly Hill Mall have now been searched as part of this investigation.An arrest has been made in connection to this investigation, but it's not clear who has been arrested. However, that person has been charged with immigration violations, not human trafficking.Investigators say minors are not involved in this investigation.Right now state and local investigators continue to examine evidence they've obtained as part of this investigation.The Hibachi Buffet Restaurant is closed on Friday and is expected to reopon on Saturday. Burlington Police Department officials say they do not have a legal mandate to shut down the restaurant at this time. Burlington police and the N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement Branch are investigating a possible human trafficking case that stems from an investigation into an officer-involved shooting last month. Assistant Chief Brian Long of the Burlington Police Department said that as officers investigated the July 23 incident at 2214 Dorsett St., the Criminal Investigative Division recognized elements of human trafficking at that residence. Officers say during that incident they shot and killed 33-year-old Rosalio Ortega because he advanced at them while wielding a machete and Ortega refused to drop it even after they used a stun gun on him. Advertisement Related Content Authorities identify man killed in officer-involved shooting in Burlington The owner of the home where the man was staying is also the owner of Hibachi Buffett. His other home on Tremore Club Drive in Burlington and the Hibachi Buffet restaurant at Holly Hill Mall have now been searched as part of this investigation. An arrest has been made in connection to this investigation, but it's not clear who has been arrested. However, that person has been charged with immigration violations, not human trafficking. Investigators say minors are not involved in this investigation. Right now state and local investigators continue to examine evidence they've obtained as part of this investigation. The Hibachi Buffet Restaurant is closed on Friday and is expected to reopon on Saturday. Burlington Police Department officials say they do not have a legal mandate to shut down the restaurant at this time.<doc-sep>
Burlington police, N.C. ALE investigate Hibachi Buffet and owner for possible human trafficking. U.S. Department of Homeland Security will join the investigation if federal violations are found. Police have obtained search warrants for several 'residences and other locations.' Officers shot and killed a man July 23 at the Hibachi Buffet owner's home. Burlington police and the N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement Branch are investigating a possible human trafficking case that stems from an officer-involved shooting on Dorsett Steet in Burlington where a man was killed. Assistant Chief Brian Long of the Burlington Police Department said that as officers investigated the July 23 incident at 2214 Dorsett St., the Criminal Investigative Division recognized elements of human trafficking. During the incident, Rosalio Hernandez Ortega, 33, was shot by officers after refusing to drop a machete and continued to walk toward the officers. Stun guns had failed to stop the man, police said. The owner of the home where the man was staying is also the owner of Hibachi Buffett. That man has not been charged with a crime and is not being named in the newspaper. Since then, Burlington police have worked with ALE officers to continue investigating the connection. Police and ALE officers served a search warrant to Hibachi Buffet at Holly Hill Mall at about 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 16. Special Agent Rodney Beckom said one to three more search warrants could be issued for “residences and other locations.” Long said police also served a search warrant at a home on Tremore Court, another home owned by the Hibachi owner. “Right now, we are still going through what we are finding from the search warrants, the execution of the search warrants, going through everything and conducting interviews,” Beckom said. “We have to deal with the language barrier and interpreters and stuff like that.” As of Thursday afternoon, no arrests had been made. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will join the investigation if federal violations are found, Beckom said. Only so much information can be shared to avoid compromising additional investigations, Beckom said. More information should be available Friday or Monday, he said. “We are trying to collect additional evidence to demonstrate human trafficking if it does exist,” he said. Beckom explained that ALE is involved in the investigation as they regulate every business with an ABC license, including Hibachi Buffet as well as convenience stores, bars and restaurants. Reporter Kate Croxton can be reached at kate.croxton@thetimesnews.com or 336-506-3078. Follow her on Twitter at @katecroxtonBTN.