Meeting in aftermath of Plaza Midwood woman's murder turns heated

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Dozens of residents packed into a local church Thursday night, hopeful to learn more about a recent homicide that’s rocked the Plaza Midwood community.

What many didn’t expect was to find themselves in the crossfire of heated debates related to policing, race and community relations.

The Plaza Midwood Neighborhood Association had invited a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department homicide detective to its routine, quarterly meeting in hopes of keeping the public informed on the latest on the investigation.

Mayor Jennifer Roberts had also already been invited to the meeting.

Ketie Jones, 26, was shot and killed while walking home from a bar Oct. 15. Her body was found behind a business on Hamorton Place near the corner of The Plaza and Central Avenue.

No arrests have been made.

“What we need is information,” the detective said to residents. “We need your help.”

CMPD told residents that they still have more questions than answers when it comes to who shot and killed Jones and why.

“Do you think it was random?” one resident asked.

“I don’t like that word,” replied the detective.

CMPD went on to answer that question by clarifying that they don’t have any specific leads in the case and don’t know if Jones knew her killer.

The next question changed the tempo of the meeting.

“Can we have an update on the Justin Carr shooting?” asked a woman from the crowd.

A group of people, the majority sitting and standing in the back of the room, began questioning police about the shooting death of Justin Carr.

Carr was shot and killed during protests that followed the deadly officer-involved shooting of Keith Scott.

Neither homicide occurred in the Eastway Division, which encompasses the Plaza Midwood neighborhood. Still, the group wanted answers pertaining to the case.

Some also brought up concerns over a resident’s apparent Facebook post offering to arm himself and bike the Plaza Midwood neighborhood as part of an unofficial watch group in the aftermath of Jones’ homicide.

That man attended Thursday’s meeting and later apologized, saying he no longer had plans to do that.

“I’m sorry to everybody for all of the misinformation and fear,” said the man.

But the unrest continued, even after this apology. Some residents walked out of the meeting.

Others, like Monica Zotos, spoke up.

“You turn people off when you yell and you scream and you don’t allow other voices to be heard,” said Zotos.

In the end, the meeting proceeded with a promise to continue the dialogue once it concluded.

Police and members of the association stayed afterwards to meet with the group and further discuss their concerns.

Police said they’ve beefed up patrols in the area where Jones was shot and killed.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call police.

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