'He's got a gun!': Man describes shooting inside elevator of uptown Charlotte hotel

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Police have identified the suspect accused of shooting a man inside the elevator of an uptown Charlotte hotel early Sunday morning.

[ALSO READ: Man killed, three others injured in shootout at Union County motel]

According to CMPD, three people were inside an elevator at the AC Hotel on Trade Street around 1:15 a.m. when an argument erupted.

Officers said 26-year-old David Monts, who was not a guest at the hotel, pulled out a gun and the men started fighting. During the struggle, Monts and another man were both shot in the leg.

(David Monts)

Off-duty CMPD officers were reportedly already inside the hotel and quickly stepped in to help.

Monts and the victim were rushed to a hospital with injuries, but are expected to be OK.

According to CMPD, the initial investigation revealed the gunman did not know the two victims.

Officers charged Monts with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and discharging a firearm in the city limits.

Police have not said what led to the argument.

Channel 9 spoke with Antoine Bostick, who said he and his cousin were in town for the CIAA tournament and were heading back to their hotel when they got in the elevator with Monts.

"Everybody's just talking, talking and this dude is talking about chopping up bodies, he can kill people," Bostick said.

Bostick said he knew something wasn't right. He said they approached their floor and Monts acted like he wasn't going to let them out of the elevator and then started to pull out the gun.

"I'm like 'Is he serious or is he playing?' Then, he's talking about 'Somebody's gonna die today.' I'm just looking at my cousin, seeing if he's hearing this and he showed, he lifted us his shirt and showed me the gun," Bostick said.

Bostick said he and his cousin tried to take him down, but Monts still managed to get a shot off.

"So, that's when I rushed him, pushed the gun back down in his pants. I was like 'He's got a gun! He's got a gun! Call for help! Call for help!' We heard the gun go off, boom, and my cousin was like 'Oh bro I'm hit! Bro, I'm hit! I'm hit! Grab the gun, grab the gun! He shot me, he shot me,'" Bostick said.

Bostick said his cousin was shot in the leg, but he was still trying to keep the man on the ground and the gun from going off again.

He said at that point, the elevator door opened and the off-duty officers inside the hotel rushed over and took Monts into custody.

"I was just thinking about, man, I'm just trying to make it home to my little boy. I don't want nobody else to get hurt in this elevator," Bostick said.

Bostick said his cousin was taken to the hospital and has been discharged, but is shaken up.

Monts is due in court Tuesday.

Guests at a nearby hotel told Channel 9 they were alarmed the shooting happened in such a tight space.

"That could have easily been me. Or anyone-- anyone of my friends. I feel blessed the fact it wasn't me. I'm thankful it wasn't me but I am so sad we live in a world where something like that can happen so easily," said Isaiah Brown. "I wouldn't expect it to happen in an elevator, such a small space and there's no escape. It's just so sad that we live in a world where something like that can happen so easily."

Channel 9 crime mapped the area and found in the last four weeks, 26 incidents were reported within 500 feet of the hotel, not including the one from Sunday morning.

Officials said incidents range from larcenies, trespassing and aggravated assaults.

Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.

Read more top trending stories on wsoctv.com:

Cox Media Group