CHARLOTTE — Multiple deadly acts across Charlotte marked a violent start to the week. Police told Channel 9′s Hunter Sáenz the violence would have been hard to prevent.
From University City to south Charlotte, CMPD is investigating at least five shootings, all of which occurred within 12 hours, according to MEDIC.
The homicides
At least three people were involved in two deadly shootings on Sunday night.
In University City, two people were found shot at a gas station along Mallard Creek Road around 10 p.m. Sunday.
Joshua Howze, 24, died at the scene, and the other victim was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.
Police say the shooting started as an argument.
“Gun crime is real, there are victims and families on the other side of this,” said CMPD Maj. Jackie Bryley. “This is real life out here and the detectives and the officers work very hard to prevent incidents like this and at some point find closure for those families.”
In west Charlotte, 18-year-old Caleb Thompson was found shot and killed on Eddington Street near West Boulevard.
Thompson was taken to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries.
Police have not released what led up to the shooting or whether a suspect has been identified.
The shootings
Around 1 a.m. Monday, one person suffered life-threatening injuries from a shooting on East Woodlawn Road.
The shooting happened at a gas station near the intersection of Interstate 77 and Billy Graham Parkway.
CMPD has not released more information on the shooting or those involved.
In northwest Charlotte, one person was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after a home invasion incident on Palm Breeze Lane around 3:30 p.m. Sunday.
Police records indicate a suspect forced entry into the home and attempted to assault the resident. The resident returned gunfire and hit the suspect. The suspect then robbed the home as they were leaving the scene.
MEDIC took one person to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, but it is unclear whether that person was the suspect.
At the time of the incident, there were nine people in the home, including a 2-year-old and two teenagers.
Early Monday morning, someone was hospitalized with minor injuries related to a shooting in South End along Fairwood Avenue. The shooting happened around 2 a.m. near Southside Park.
Channel 9 has reached out to CMPD asking about suspects.
Could they have been prevented?
In short -- it would have been difficult to prevent the homicides from happening, CMPD said. Channel 9′s Hunter Sáenz sat down with Maj. Jackie Bryley, who was on call over the weekend and at both homicide scenes. She said her phone rang often.
“More what goes through my mind is ‘oh no, not again,’” she told Sáenz.
Bryley said although CMPD is trying to prevent these types of shootings, in the two homicide cases, prevention would have been nearly impossible.
In west Charlotte, she said CMPD had never been called before to the home where Thompson was killed.
“Speaking to neighbors out there, they had not really seen officers out there like that,” she said. “They were confused.”
And in University City, she said Howze was killed all because of an argument that escalated. Her advice:
“Think before you act. It’s OK to walk away,” she said.
It’s a message that could help save lives.
Howze’s sister told Sáenz he was a kind and caring man who would do anything for her and for his mother.
Anyone with information about any of the cases is asked to call 704-432-TIPS. You can also leave information anonymously by contacting Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or by clicking here.
(WATCH: Multiple victims hospitalized in south Charlotte shooting on Woodlawn Road)
©2023 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
