Police find gun after teen led officers on chase through Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers said a dive team found a gun that may be connected to a shooting and police chase that happened Saturday.

Channel 9 cameras saw crews searching the Catawba River at the Wilkinson Boulevard Bridge Saturday evening and into Sunday.

[IMAGES: Teen leads police on chase after accused of shooting at a home]

A teenager is in custody after police said he fired a gun into a home Saturday afternoon and then led police on a chase in west Charlotte.

Officers responded to an assault with a deadly weapon call just before 2 p.m. in the 8000 block of Lobilia Lane.

Police said a home was shot into, but there were no injuries.

Officials charged Bruce Little, 19, with felony discharge of a firearm and possession of a firearm by a felon.

An officer told Channel 9 they were searching for evidence and said they found a gun.

According to the Mecklenburg County inmate website, Little has a significant history of encounters with authorities.

He was arrested in June 2016 and charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, discharge of a firearm and breaking and entering. In April 2016, he was charged with simple assault, while in March he was charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a gun on education property and simple assault. In January 2016, Little was charged with felony larceny of motor vehicle.

In October 2015, he was arrested and charged with possession of stolen goods, larceny after breaking and entering, and felony breaking and entering. In September 2015, Little was charged with injury to personal property. In August 2015, he was charged with possession of a stolen firearm, felony conspiracy, larceny after breaking and entering and felony breaking and entering. In July 2015, he was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, resisting public officer, felony larceny of motor vehicle, larceny after breaking and entering, possession of stolen goods and injury to personal property.

(Bruce Little)

Officers later located the suspect's vehicle and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. Police said the driver of the vehicle led police on a pursuit that ended on Hathaway Hills Drive near the Gaston County line.

Little’s mother, who spoke exclusively to Channel 9, made an emotional plea to her son to pull over his car.

The woman, who didn’t want to be identified, said her son was wearing an ankle monitor and was recently released from prison, but was on track to get his life together.

She said Little was supposed to start school Monday, but right now, he's being questioned about his possible involvement in a shooting by detectives.

Little's mother said he called her during the pursuit.

"Saying, ‘Mom, I’m in a high-speed chase. You know I didn't do anything. I was just leaving Family Dollar and they got in behind me and started to chase me,’” the mother said.

The mother confirmed that her teenage son was involved in a chase on the Gaston-Mecklenburg County line.

"I was like, ’Bruce, if you haven't done anything then just stop, just stop,” she said.

Little's mother said he didn’t pull over, so she tried to find him. At one point, she pulled in front of his car to try and slow him down.

She ended up going to a gas station and asked police for help.

"He called Bruce and he told Bruce, ‘You know, I have your mom here. She's hysterical. Please, she wants you to stop, just stop,’” the mother said. “(Bruce) said, ‘I'm afraid to stop. They're going to hurt me. (The officer) said, ‘No one's going to hurt you.’"

The teen’s mother said the chase peacefully ended in front of her home where he was taken into custody.

"I'm disappointed on whatever is going on here, but I still love my son,” the mother said.

Detectives searched the Little’s car and his mother's vehicle.

Cox Media Group