CMPD: Teen dies after shooting near CMS bus stop; juvenile to be charged with murder

CHARLOTTE — A 17-year-old Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools student died Friday after he was shot near a school bus stop in east Charlotte, police said.

Police are seeking to upgrade the charges against the juvenile arrested Thursday to first-degree murder.

The 17-year-old victim, Nahzir Taylor, is a student at Rocky River High School who was “off the bus and had already left the assigned bus stop location,” officials with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools said.

It happened shortly before 3 p.m. Wednesday along Lanza Drive near Robinson Church Road.

The juvenile who was arrested was charged with attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury and two counts of discharging a firearm into occupied property.

“We are saddened by the passing of Nazhir Taylor and acknowledge the impact this loss will have on our entire school community,” CMS officials said in a statement to Channel 9. “We extend our condolences to the family and are committed to providing support to our students and staff during this difficult time.”

“Things aren’t too good for him,” said Taylor’s stepmother, who did not want to have her face shown on camera. “So I’m just wanting to catch the people who did this to my son.”

‘Everything is being solved with guns’

A doorbell camera caught Taylor running for his life before he was struck by a round, falling to the ground.

Three people who appeared to be following him jumped into a blue car driven by someone else and drove off.

Investigators are not sure what the argument was about, but they are looking into the possibility that it might have started at school.

“I just think it’s really sad that kids are totting guns, and everything is being solved with guns,” Taylor’s stepmother said.

Investigators want to talk to all the students who were on that bus and any students who might know something.

Taylor was taken to Atrium CMC with life-threatening injuries MEDIC said.

He was in critical but stable condition Wednesday night, CMPD said.

“Pray for my family,” his stepmother said. “Pray for his birth mother. Pray for his father. Pray for me. Pray for all his siblings. Pray for me and just continue to pray for our family and pray for Nahzir.”

CMS didn’t have any information about whether any other students were on the bus.

Consequences

Anti-teen violence activist Will Adams knows from personal tragedy what the family of the 17-year-old shot is going through.

“It actually gives them time to just tell him how much they love him, even though he may be brain dead,” Adams said.

Adams founded Team Trublue years ago, which was formed to empower families in the community. His son was killed in 2008.

“Another part of me gets upset because as being a partner of CMS, it’s like, we want to help them as much as possible,” Adams said.

The group has a long-standing mission of reducing violence among teens by providing conflict resolution.

“Certain schools still give us a call when something is going on,” Adams said. “We’ve seen a change.”

Adams said he has no doubt his group could have found a non-violent resolution Wednesday at Rocky River High.

“We are actually going to sit down with the child and talk to the child and understand where they are in their mind,” Adams said.

Adams said he tries to ensure that kids know that there are consequences in life.

However, he acknowledges some teens have little concern for those consequences.

“These kids know if, I go out and shoot somebody, I ain’t going to get but about six, seven, eight years at the most. I’m going to go in and come out,” Adams said. “But if I sell fentanyl, I’m going to go to prison for life. That’s a problem.”

VIDEO: Juvenile arrested, charged with shooting student near school bus stop, CMPD says

Juvenile arrested, charged with shooting student near school bus stop, CMPD says

Concerned neighbors

The area was near a school bus stop, which left many parents concerned.

“I guess what is most disturbing to me is my children’s bus stop is a few hundred feet from what is going on here,” resident Alaina Williams said. “My son should be arriving shortly. My daughter came home to witness this.”

Several stray rounds went into a neighbor’s home, but no one else was injured.

No further information has been released.

To donate to Nazhir’s GoFundMe click here.

Return to this story for updates.

VIDEO: Parent of CMS student who was shot after getting off school bus speaks

Parent of CMS student who was shot after getting off school bus speaks

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