CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Police are looking for the suspect they said shot and killed a man inside a northwest Charlotte home Thursday.
Police were called around 6 p.m. to a home on Welling Avenue and found Michael Barnwell, 29, dead inside. They said he had been shot.
Officers were investigating Barnwell's death as "suspicious" and later ruled it a homicide, the city's 29th of the year.
Authorities were on the scene for hours Thursday, which included homicide detectives, while a growing crowd surrounded the investigation, including Barnwell’s family.
(Barnwell)
Barnwell's aunt, Robin Alexander, told Channel 9 she hadn't heard from him in two days and was worried, so she went to check on him around 6 p.m. She said her son found his body and they called police.
“I'm hurt. I want to know what happened,” said Alexander. “I want to know why my nephew had to go through that. I wanna know why somebody took his life if that's what happened.”
Family members said Barnwell lived in the home with his girlfriend.
Investigators said the case is ongoing. They asked anyone with information to call 704-432-TIPS and speak directly to a Homicide Unit Detective or call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.
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