Man killed, woman hospitalized in west Charlotte drive-by shooting

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are investigating a homicide in west Charlotte following a drive-by shooting overnight.

Officers were called to the scene on Effingham Road at Tuckaseegee Road around midnight, and found Tony Russell, 30, shot and killed and a woman who had also been shot.

She was rushed to the hospital but police said she would be OK. Relatives told Channel 9 that she was shot in the leg.

Neighbors told Channel 9 that the two were shot during a drive-by and Russell's family told Channel 9 he and the woman were walking down Tuckaseegee Road when a car pulled up and shot at them.

Police are looking for any witnesses who may have heard or seen the attack.

No arrests have been made and police have not yet released any suspect information.

On Thursday, CMPD said they were seeing positive results from a new initiative to reduce violent crime, saying violent crime is down 15 percent in neighborhoods they targeted -- including the Beatties Ford Road corridor and a stretch of Sugar Creek Road near Interstate 85.

Officers have made more than 100 arrests and taken more than a dozen guns off the street in the past six weeks, but there are still unsolved crimes, including people firing shots into innocent victims' homes and cars.

“We need you to speak up,” pleaded CMPD Lt. Brian Sander. “If you hear something or see something, please say something.”

Police increased some of their Crime Stoppers rewards to encourage people to come forward.

Check back with wsoctv.com for updates on this story.

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