CHARLOTTE — Charlotte-Mecklenburg police have not announced any arrests in connection with a shooting on March 15 near Remount Road in south Charlotte that left a 14-year-old boy dead and a 13-year-old hurt.
Officers responded at around 6:15 p.m. to the area of Fairwood and Baltimore avenues, near Southside Park and Interstate 77.
A 14-year-old boy was confirmed dead at the scene. A 13-year-old boy was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools confirmed the two teenagers were CMS students.
@gcountswsoc9 and I were on scene of a shooting Fairwood and Baltimore were told a teen under 18 years of age was killed another transported to the hospital @wsoctv pic.twitter.com/NNnSxLPPKM
— Joey Williams (@JWilliamsWSOC09) March 16, 2022
Residents in Southside Homes said they are still shaken weeks after the shooting.
“I remember every day,” resident Christina Cannie said. “I walk by there. So yeah, I haven’t forgotten.”
At the time of the shooting, Cannie said she forced her six-year-old daughter to the ground for cover.
“It was hurtful to see, like, you know, a drive-by shooting,” she said. “I had to push my baby down. We had to get down and to see the little boy dead, shot two of them. Actually, yeah, it was horrible.”
Police haven’t released a motive behind the shooting. Many residents think the teens were in the wrong place at the wrong time or it was a case of mistaken identity.
“Well, it’s sad because the young are dying off before us,” resident Twana Reid said. “And it’s, like, you (are) scared to let your kids get out and play.”
Reid, who has lived in Southside Homes for 13 years, said she is a friend of the teens’ families.
“My heart goes out to the parents,” Reid said. “It does, and it’s just sad.”
Investigators said in March that they were having a tough time getting information because witnesses aren’t cooperating.
Lucille Puckett runs “Take Back Our Hoods,” a group that works to combat violence. She is concerned about the violent trends Charlotte has seen with young people over the last year.
“Bullets, shell casing, markings was from one end to the other and then stretched as far as South Tryon. It was a mini war-zone out here,” Puckett said.
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She said more adults need to step up and keep a close eye on children.
“They’re getting these guns from somewhere. A 13 an 14-year-old aren’t old enough to buy guns, to get bullets. We have to hold our adults more responsible,” Puckett said.
No other details have been released at this point.
Return to this story for updates.
(Watch the video below: Security guard assaulted, fires gun in southwest Charlotte shopping center)
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