Judge raises bond to $1.5M for man accused of shooting 5 in Uptown on New Year’s Eve

CHARLOTTE — A judge raised the bond from $750,000 to $1.5 million Tuesday for a 19-year-old man accused of randomly shooting five people in Uptown Charlotte on New Year’s Eve.

>> READ MORE: At least 10 people shot in, around Romare Bearden Park in 2023

Daevion Crawford faces five felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said Crawford shot into a busy crowd at Romare Bearden Park just after 11:30 p.m. Sunday.

The gun has not been recovered, a detective told the judge on Tuesday. However, video evidence pointed to Crawford as the suspect.

Crawford’s mother said there was a lack of evidence and that her son didn’t shoot anyone.

The detective said in court that Crawford blamed his friend for firing the gun at random people.

All five innocent victims were shot below their knees and are expected to recover, police said. Channel 9 learned that two of those victims were visiting from out of the country.

CMPD said it responded to multiple disturbances in that area, which made for a rough night Sunday. In total, they arrested 11 juveniles in those incidents. The department originally said it arrested an additional adult, but on Wednesday, said Crawford was the only adult arrested in the incidents.

Witnesses told Channel 9 they saw several fights before the shooting, and police said three of their officers were hurt.

Charlotte City Councilman Tariq Bokhari, R-District 6, said he has seen enough.

He is asking the North Carolina General Assembly to get involved and appoint a task force to study crime in Charlotte. He specifically wants to look at repeat offenders, how quickly they are getting back on the street, and whether parents are being held accountable when crimes are committed by people under 18.

He’s worried about the long-term effect of crime and its impact on how people perceive Uptown.

“I was asked the question today. ‘Would this make you not want to take your family down to that kind of event?’ I said, quite honestly, I gave up going to those kinds of events a long time ago,” Bokhari said. “And I think there’s a lot of people in this community that are in that exact same boat.”

“Romare Bearden Park Shooting - Crime Task Force” Has a good Ring To It,” Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

McFadden added he supported the idea with conditions.

Mayor Vi Lyles said in a statement said the city must continue to focus on safety.

Lyles’ full statement:

“The New Year’s Eve shooting at Romare Bearden Park was horrific and is evident of the continued focus we must have on addressing public safety. My prayers are with the five victims, and I deeply wish for their rapid and full recovery. The trauma inflicted by such incidents is immeasurable and should never be experienced by anyone.

“With the rise of youth gun violence as a national concern, it is increasingly clear that creating a safe, gun-violence-free environment is a collective responsibility we all must share within our own community. The well-being of our residents and visitors remains our utmost priority, and we are committed to ensuring our city is a safe place for everyone to enjoy.”

Charlotte Center City Partners, who was hosting a New Year’s Eve event around the corner, released a statement on the shooting just before noon Tuesday.

“We are proud to have safely hosted a vibrant celebration for the 10,000 Charlotteans and visitors at Levine Avenue of the Arts on Sunday night,” it reads in part. “It was a celebration of hope and community. We are deeply concerned by the events in Romare Bearden Park and those affected. We must do better as a community.”

Statement from Charlotte Center City Partners:

“Uptown is the heart of Charlotte, and our community is deeply committed to its safety.

“We are proud to have safely hosted a vibrant celebration for the 10,000 Charlotteans and visitors at Levine Avenue of the Arts on Sunday night. It was a celebration of hope and community.

“We are deeply concerned by the events in Romare Bearden Park and those affected. We must do better as a community.

“We remain committed to hosting highly produced, inclusive, safe, community-building events that are powerful assets for quality of life in Charlotte. As always, we will continue to work closely with our partners at CMPD to plan for, and produce, safe gatherings.”

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