2 teens arrested in random Charlotte shootings of drivers and bicyclists, one fatal
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings said Thursday that police had arrested two teenagers in connection with Tuesday’s random shootings from a car at bicyclists, people in cars and others gathered on a Charlotte street. A person in a car was fatally shot during the spree.
“These were brazen crimes — crimes that put our community at risk,” Jennings said at a press conference at CMPD headquarters in uptown. Police said the suspects are ages 16 and 18.
News of the arrests allayed fears in the public of a sniper or serial shooter. CMPD first reported the shootings at an afternoon press conference on Tuesday.
After the shootings, police said they increased patrols and offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
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Several shootings early Tuesday occurred near the Lincoln Heights neighborhood about five miles north of uptown. Another shooting in the series happened in Steele Creek in southwest Charlotte, about 10 miles from the other shootings.
Deputy Chief Tonya Arrington said Thursday that police believe the 16-year-old suspect was looking for other random victims to shoot when an officer spotted the teen exhibiting “suspicious behavior” early Thursday and stopped his car.
“Based on the evidence and the actions the officers observed, there was no doubt that he was going to continue his crime spree ... He was actively out there looking for another opportunity,” Arrington said.
Police found a gun in the car and took the 16-year-old driver into custody, she said. The gun was later confirmed as stolen. Police said they’re still investigating how the gun was stolen.
Arrington declined to specify the driver’s suspicious behavior and credited “good old-fashioned police work” for the arrests.
Thursday afternoon, police also arrested 18-year-old Carlos Roberto Diaz and said he is being charged with first-degree murder, felony conspiracy to commit murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, five counts of attempted murder and two counts each of shooting into an occupied vehicle and a dwelling.
The 16-year-old faces a first-degree murder charge and other charges to be announced, Arrington said. His name was not released because he is charged in juvenile court.
“There’s no indication that it was gang-related,” Arrington said. “There’s no indication as why. Why would two juveniles engage in this type of behavior on random victims?”
Here’s a look at the shootings police believe were connected:
At 1:05 a.m. Tuesday, a person in a car was fatally shot by someone in another car while traveling outbound in the 3800 block of Statesville Avenue, police said.
Four minutes later, someone shot at a bicyclist near the intersection of Newland Road and Lasalle Street, Arrington said. The gunfire missed the bicyclist.
Officers then came upon a driver who said bullets hit their vehicle as they drove on Lasalle Street near Interstate 77. The driver wasn’t hurt, police said.
At 1:11 a.m., someone in a car fired shots into a group of people standing in the 2100 block of Catherine Simmons Avenue. Shots hit a home, and a woman inside was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries after being shot.
At 1:25 a.m., shots hit a bicyclist in the 100 block of Hilary Circle in the Steele Creek neighborhood. The bicyclist had non-life threatening injuries.
CMPD didn’t say if any shootings since the five early Tuesday morning are thought to be connected to the two teenage suspects. Asked about it after Thursday’s press conference, a department spokesperson said they would respond later.
CMPD also didn’t say if anyone claimed the $10,000 reward. A spokesperson said CMPD would respond to that question later.
Police said they are not looking for any other suspects.
The series of shootings police believe are connected followed three fatal shootings on Monday that police say weren’t connected to Tuesday’s shootings.
“It’s been a violent 24-hour stretch for the city of Charlotte,” Lt. Crystal Fletcher said at a news conference Tuesday.
