Juvenile-involved property crimes, shootings increased in 2023

CHARLOTTE — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department held a press conference to provide a year-end review of their public safety efforts in 2023.

Police reported that overall crime increased by 14% in 2023. However, violent crime stayed flat at 0%, despite Charlotte adding thousands of new residents in 2023.

“Staying flat in violent crime is no small feat in a city as large and as fast-growing as Charlotte,” said Special Investigations Bureau Major Michael Ford. “It takes a holistic approach. We are strategic about placing our officers in the most critical areas of the city to increase visibility and proactively deter violent crimes.”

CMPD said homicides in Charlotte fell 11% in 2023, while the homicide unit continued to maintain a solve rate of 80% over five years, one of the highest solve rates in the nation.

However, property crime rose 17%, largely attributed to auto thefts and larcenies, which are crimes mostly committed by juveniles.

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In April 2023, CMPD launched a multi-agency task force named Operation SCARLET (Stolen Car & Recovery Law Enforcement Team) to investigate a large network of crimes centered around the theft of high-end vehicles.

Channel 9 covered a case where a suspect was accused of trying to steal another man’s car, fire a gun, and then pistol-whip him at the Charlotte Premium Outlets.

Property crimes involving juveniles increased by 86% in 2023. Police said this rise was fueled by a 120% increase in auto thefts.

Channel 9 reported how CMPD realized that at least one juvenile was involved in the break-ins of more than 200 cars throughout Charlotte in the days before Christmas.

Kia and Hyundai vehicles accounted for 67% of all auto thefts, tracing back to a viral social media trend that influenced young people to steal Kia and Hyundai vehicles at a much higher rate.

CMPD said it did see success with Operation Heartbeat, an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime in Uptown around the Transit Center, the Spectrum Center, and parking garages. The operation reported a 36% decrease in violent crimes in those areas, including a 43% reduction in robberies.

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In September of 2023, Channel 9 covered the shooting death of 24-year-old Kashaune Lavonne Teal by a private security guard near the transit center in Uptown.

Overall, CMPD said one of the biggest challenges it faced in 2023 was the rise in juvenile crime.

Shootings involving a juvenile suspect increased by 33%, while shootings involving a juvenile victim increased by 18%. The top three juvenile offenders in Charlotte committed more than 120 offenses combined in 2023 alone, according to police.

Channel 9 covered several shootings involving juveniles throughout 2023, the most recent involving two juveniles ending up with life-threatening injuries after being shot but another juvenile in Uptown on Nov. 12.

“Secure custody orders for juveniles remain difficult to obtain as juvenile crime continues to rise,” said Major Ryan Butler. “This is an issue that is impacting the entire city and state of North Carolina.” “We’re going to continue to see our Charlotte residents preyed upon by juveniles who do not fear repercussions for their actions. Our officers are constantly playing catch-and-release with the same groups of young people. This is what the CMPD and the public are up against.”

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CMPD said its Community Engagement Division offered 13 programs aimed at providing healthy outlets and mentorship for teens and young adults. This includes CMPD’s Youth Diversion Program for ages 8-17, diverting first-time offenders from the criminal justice system and toward rehabilitation courses.

“I am proud of the hard work that all of our CMPD employees achieved in 2023, and I appreciate their service to the City of Charlotte,” said CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings. “There is a lot of work to be done, but I am optimistic as we move into 2024. Charlotte is one of the best cities in the country, and we will continue our efforts to ensure the safety of both our residents and visitors.”

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