Police identify man shot to death in west Charlotte bar

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are investigating the city's 47th homicide of the year after they said 41-year-old Nelson Sosa was shot to death in a west Charlotte bar and restaurant Saturday night.

[IMAGES: CMPD investigate 47th homicide of 2017]

The shooting happened around 10:45 p.m. at the Tropical Bar, Restaurant and Game Room on Tuckaseegee Road.

Police told Channel 9 that someone called 911 and said a man had been shot. When officers arrived they found Sosa inside the business suffering from a gunshot wound.

Sosa was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Detectives said Sosa and the shooter knew each other and that both were inside the restaurant when the shooting happened.

The bar and restaurant where the shooting happened was closed Sunday, but every other business in the shopping plaza was open, including the Food Lion, where people were coming and going all morning.

Shoppers told Channel 9 they were shocked and saddened to hear of the deadly shooting but also said they are not surprised to learn of another homicide in the city.

Afela Walton said she's working with some of her neighbors and friends to find a solution to the increase in violence.

“What is causing it? What can we do to stop it from, you know, from getting like this? Do we need to come together as a community?” she asked.

Walton said she doesn’t know Sosa or the shooter, but she is a Charlotte resident who shops at the Food Lion next to where the shooting happened.

“For the ones that's coming up, this is the example to them and this is all they're going to know to do, is shoot in reaction when I get mad,” Walton said. “I pray for the family who lost whoever they lost because that could've been my child. That's how I look at things, could've been a family member or something. It's serious out here, but they gotta change it."

Another shopper, who preferred to remain anonymous, also echoed that something has to change.

"I just think we just need to take a minute before we react and just think about the consequences of our actions because whoever did that is now ruined,” the shopper said. “You know, two people, two lives, two families have been affected and ruined.”

No arrests have been made yet.

[PHOTOS: Homicide victims of 2017]

[PHOTOS: Suspects in 2017 homicide cases]

Trying to curb the violence

Currently, Charlotte’s homicide rate is nearly double what it was at the same time last year.

Police are hoping a new partnership with the YMCA will keep teens away from violence, and this weekend was the first for the Summer of Opportunity program.

Local YMCA locations and CMPD officers are holding "Teens at Night" events every weekend to give teenagers a place to hang out.

It's also a way for teens and officers to build relationships with help from groups like Project 658 and Heal Charlotte.

“I would really love for the community to step up and meet everybody else half way,” said Greg Jackson, with Heal Charlotte.

The goal is to extend the program beyond summer. To attend the weekly events, teens must pre-register online or in person.

Community gathers to remember slain Charlotte barber

Family and friends held a vigil Sunday night for another homicide victim, a popular barber who was shot to death while in an SUV last week.

David Lindsay was shot and killed on Eastwycke Place Drive in east Charlotte.

Lindsay worked at No Grease Barbershop, which is known for working with police to stop violence.

The vigil took place at AMF Bowling Alley on North Tryon Street.

One friend told Channel 9 he couldn’t imagine why a tragedy like this would happen.

“Just such a gracious young man, total gentleman, and just for him to lose his life so senselessly, I don’t know. I just can’t fathom it. He wasn’t a gang member. No drugs. He was just a good young man,” that friend said.

No arrests have been made in the case.

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