1 sentenced after woman killed in north Charlotte shooting

CHARLOTTE — A man accused of shooting a woman last year in north Charlotte was sentenced to at least 16 years in prison, authorities said on Thursday.

Shikeem Sands, 24, pled guilty to second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office.

Sands was arrested in November 2023 in connection with the shooting of 34-year-old Keia Javon Garnett.

Sands was sentenced to 192-252 months in prison.

Previous coverage - Nov. 14, 2023

A woman was killed and another person was hurt in a double shooting late Monday afternoon in north Charlotte, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said. A man has been charged with murder in the case.

Investigators responded to West Sugar Creek Road at Interstate 85 around 4 p.m. Monday.

Police said Keia Javon Garnett, age 34, was shot and taken to the hospital where she died from her injuries. According to the police report, a male was also hospitalized from the shooting.

“Everybody that’s in that vicinity, (investigators) are talking to, each and every single person down there,” said CMPD Maj. Torri Tellis.

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1 killed, 1 injured in shooting Monday at West Sugar Creek and I-85

Investigators said someone called 911 to report an assault at about 5 p.m. Officers said they found two people shot on Reagan Drive. One of them was in the street.

Tellis said his team is relying on tips from witnesses.

“Any business around here that does have camera footage or anything we will look into that,” Tellis said. “To use anything that we possibly can to identify what occurred, how it occurred, and get to the bottom of why it occurred.”

Video from Chopper 9 SkyZoom shows investigators blocked off Reagan Drive near West Sugar Creek Road. There were evidence markers at the nearby Shell gas station and on Reagan Drive near Octapharma Plasma. There was also a large police presence at the Garden Inn and Suites motel.

CMPD wouldn’t confirm if the scenes are connected but will follow all leads.

“It takes more than just the police coming out here to do patrols or direct patrolling through here,” Tellis said. “But it also takes those calls from the citizens if they see something that’s actually going on.”

Police said the suspect, 23-year-old Shikeem Sands, was found in the area shortly after the shooting. Sands was taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder, discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle, and possession of a firearm by convicted felon.

No further information was released.

VIDEO: 1 killed in north Charlotte shooting

1 killed in north Charlotte shooting

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