Man Killed by CMPD Officer After Holding Teen Girl at Knifepoint, Stabbing Her Multiple Times

The shooting happened Saturday night December 18, 2021 on Blairbeth Street

A man was shot and killed by a police officer after stabbing a 13-year-old girl at a home in the Ballantyne neighborhood in south Charlotte.

Police said a man forced his way into his ex-wife’s home.

While she was able to get out and let officers know what happened, her daughter was still inside.

When officers went inside, they found the 13-year-old girl held at knifepoint. CMPD says she was stabbed multiple times.

That’s when police said an officer fired a shot and killed the man, who died inside the home.

The girl was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries from multiple stab wounds.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said no officers were reported to be injured.

They said the State Bureau of Investigations will take over this case, as is routine for all officer-involved shootings in the state.

https://www.wbtv.com/2021/12/19/man-killed-by-officers-after-holding-teen-knifepoint-stabbing-her-multiple-times-south-charlotte/

Man Charged with Assault, Kidnapping in Brutal Attack on Woman in East Charlotte

CMPD detectives have charged 32-year-old Louis Lamontrez Meadows with first-degree kidnapping and assault on a female in December 15, 2021 Attack.

https://www.wbtv.com/2021/12/15/video-police-searching-people-involved-violent-assault-kidnapping-east-charlotte/

West Charlotte H.S. Students Express Concerns about Violence & Guns in Schools

https://www.wbtv.com/2021/12/17/west-charlotte-hs-students-protest-express-concerns-about-recent-violence-guns-schools/

Student Charged for Firing Shot After Fight Over Bookbag at West Charlotte HS on Monday December 13, 2021

The call was received around 2:16 p.m. and the initial investigation shows that shots were fired on the property but not inside the school building.

This was the 23rd gun found at CMS schools this year.

https://www.wbtv.com/2021/12/13/cmpd-responding-shots-fired-call-west-charlotte-hs-campus/

Person Missing After Apparent December 15, 2021 Charlotte Kidnapping Caught on Camera

A video doorbell was recording as the victim was pulled toward an awaiting car, according to CMPD.

https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/person-missing-apparent-charlotte-kidnapping-caught-on-camera-video-doorbell/275-12d603a8-cc57-426a-b941-48ac14601f06

CMPD Investigating South Tryon St. Homicide

It happened Tuesday night , December 14, 2021, near the intersection of South Tryon Street and Clanton Road.

https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/cmpd-south-tryon-homicide-investigation/275-4e5eb16c-a92f-4777-8847-cbf62ae9696d

Mecklenburg MEDIC Facing 911 Dispatcher Shortage

From WCNC.com by Chloe Leshner, December 15, 2021

Staffing shortages have been a common and at times debilitating side effect of the pandemic. Mecklenburg County, like many other communities across the country, is facing a 911 operator shortage.

When someone dials 911, they are counting on a dispatcher to answer the call quickly. The MEDIC call center gets about 500 calls a day.

“When a caller calls into 911, it is not their best day,” Jon Studnek, the Deputy Director of MEDIC said. “They’re afraid, they’re concerned, they might be scared and anxious.”

Right now, the MEDIC call center is short seven dispatchers. They’re supposed to have a staff of 40. Seven people also typically fill a standard shift.

The vacancies are forcing mandatory overtime to fill some of the gaps.

“To get the information we need to have a rapid and appropriate response takes a really special person doing really special work,” Studnek said. “Being short-staffed just increases the stress of the people who are here managing those high acuity 911 calls.”

Studnek said there are measures in place to make sure every call is picked up quickly, so a caller doesn’t sit and wait. That way, the community will not feel the impact of the shortage. But still, the workers are.

They’re facing similar, persisting staffing issues with medics and EMTs. Right now, they have 60 openings for people to work in the field. They are budgeted to staff 374 field providers and only have 314 on staff right now.

FEMA recently sent five ambulances and 10 workers to relieve some of the pressure for six weeks.

Now FEMA is gone and call volumes are going up again. On Monday, MEDIC transported 15 COVID-19 positive patients, up from two or three each day two weeks ago.

It’s a rewarding but difficult job, But Studnek said fewer people are getting into the field. Their attrition rates are normal but they do not have the backfill they typically do. They’re working on strategies to attract more candidates.

“We’re working really closely with our partners in Mecklenburg County to focus on both recruitment bonuses and retention bonuses,” he said. “And we’re developing strategies on how we can bring in employees and stay competitive in the market.”

MEDIC officials said the staffing shortages have not caused response times to slip.

They’re also reminding people to only call 911 if it’s a true medical emergency.

https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/medic-dispatcher-shortage-stress/275-9fa4c947-d8f6-4c65-8483-614fa1f2e2b5

20-year-old Charged After More than a Dozen Shots Fired in Broad Daylight in Uptown Charlotte

From WBTV.com, December 7, 2021

A 20-year-old was arrested and charged for firing more than a dozen shots in uptown Charlotte Tuesday morning December 7, 2021.

Police charged Christopher Brown with assault with a deadly weapon, discharge a firearm in the city limits and resist/delay/obstruct of a law enforcement officer.

Police said that around 11:15 a.m. Tuesday, a person got out of a car and fired 10 to 15 shots into a car at the intersection of Trade and Tryon streets.

Officers were about 20 to 30 yards away from the shooting, and after a short foot chase, the suspected shooter was taken into custody. Charges have not been filed yet, according to police.

“I had officers that were standing very close to this intersection of Trade and Tryon when our car pulled up on Tryon Street, a passenger of that car gets out and fires several rounds into the car he had just gotten out of,” said Brad Koch, with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

Koch said it is believed that the shooter knew the person they were targeting.

Police said Brown ran from officers and was arrested while trying to get onto a CATS bus at the Charlotte Transit System.

“Officers were able to get him to surrender,” Koch said. “Officers got into a very short foot pursuit where we were able to take him into custody a short distance away from here.”

The CATS Gold Line announced that it was temporarily suspended during the police investigation between the Transit Center and French Street due to officers blocking the tracks.

All roads have reopened and the CATS Gold Line is back running.

However, people walking through uptown Charlotte are still in shock about the middle-of-the-day shooting.

“I wouldn’t just think that they’d be shooting right here, I just never would have thought,” said Kitwon Ellis.

The shooting happened around 11:15 a.m. when people were working and walking the streets.

“We need to be aware that things can happen anywhere in any place,” said Lizzie Goggins, who works in uptown Charlotte. “You know, crime has been on the uptake since we’ve had this lockdown and everything, and people are just mad, they’re angry but there is a better way.”

CMPD says this was an isolated incident and says uptown Charlotte is safe for the public.

Police say they are searching for a black Toyota Camry, or a similar type of car.

Officers identified a victim but haven’t been able to make contact with them.

https://www.wbtv.com/2021/12/07/20-year-old-charged-after-more-than-dozen-shots-fired-broad-daylight-uptown-charlotte/

CMPD Hoping to Identify Man Who Carried Out Armed Robbery in Southwest Charlotte Apartment Complex Parking Lot

From WBTV.com, December 8, 2021

Detectives from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department are hoping to identify the man responsible for carrying out an armed robbery in the parking lot of a southwest Charlotte apartment complex.

The incident happened around 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday, November 24 in the parking lot of the Aurea Station Apartment Homes in southwest Charlotte.

Surveillance footage from security cameras in the apartment complex shows a man walking to his vehicle when he is approached by a masked individual.

The video shows the masked suspect pulling out a gun and following the other man to a truck. The suspect then points the gun directly at the man’s face.

“It could’ve been very dangerous. Any time a handgun is involved, you’re talking about a lethal weapon and you’re pointing it at someone so things could have gone wrong had this victim not cooperated with him,” said Officer Rick Smith, the CMPD Crime Stoppers coordinator.

The apartment complex surveillance footage shows the suspect walking away after taking money from the man in the parking lot. Smith said police do not believe the man was targeting anyone in particular.

“I think he was just waiting for the perfect opportunity. Like I said, it was 5:30 a.m., relatively light traffic, folk just getting up to go to work. It was still kind of dark so I think he was just waiting for the opportunity,” explained the officer.

Smith said he wasn’t sure why the suspect chose the Aurea Station Apartment Homes as the location for the robbery attempt.

https://www.wbtv.com/2021/12/08/crime-stoppers-police-hoping-identify-man-who-carried-out-armed-robbery-southwest-charlotte-apartment-complex-parking-lot/

A year Later, Two 19-year-old Suspects Charged for Murder of Man Found Lying in Charlotte Road

From WBTV.com, December 8, 2021

A year after the crime took place, police have charged two 19-year-old suspects for the murder of a man who was found lying in a Charlotte road last winter.

The man died on Dec. 20, 2020 after he was taken to the hospital when he was found lying in the road in north Charlotte.

Around 8:30 p.m., 31-year-old Daniel Vergara was found lying in the roadway on Valcourt Road with apparent trauma. Vergara was taken to the hospital where he would later be pronounced dead.

Investigators previously said a preliminary investigation showed Vergara’s injuries were a result of a dispute.

On Dec. 8, 2021, CMPD arrested and charged Trinity Thompson and Zavia Jeter for Vergara’s murder. Both Thomspon and Jeter were charged with murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon.

The investigation into this case is active and ongoing. 

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 704-432-TIPS and speak directly to a Homicide Unit detective. The public can also leave information anonymously by contacting Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or http://charlottecrimestoppers.com/.