Suspect with criminal history out of jail after last week’s Uptown stabbing

CHARLOTTE — Shareef Sudan Thompson, 36, is out of jail, despite facing charges in a violent stabbing last week in Uptown Charlotte.

Channel 9 learned he has a lengthy criminal history.

Veteran crime reporter Glenn Counts delved into his past and explored why cases like this are frustrating for officers.

Thompson had been arrested dozens of times before the stabbing on April 5 on East Seventh Street near the light rail.

Despite his record, he didn’t have to come up with any money to get out of jail.

Police said the attack was unprovoked. The 26-year-old victim was stabbed multiple times and taken to Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.

Officers arrested Thompson and charged him with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury. He got out of jail soon after he was given a $5,000 unsecured bond.

“It doesn’t surprise me, but I think the real question is why is that occurring?” said Vickie Foster, a retired former assistant chief with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

Thompson’s first arrest on his adult record was when he was 16 in 2004. Since then, Thompson has been arrested dozens of times. Most of those charges would be considered minor.

Some of the more serious offenses include assault on a female, assault on an officer, assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to inflict serious injury, drug possession, and habitual misdemeanor assault.

Foster said the revolving door cases frustrate officers.

“It’s also hard when they know sometimes that this person is going to eventually hurt someone and they see them continually getting out, over and over,” she said.

Police continually review their policies, and she thinks it’s a good idea for other parts of the criminal justice system to do the same, Foster said.

“Those things need to be reviewed as often as we review our different policies and procedures,” she said. “You got to do it the same way.”

Family members said the stabbing victim is out of the hospital.

VIDEO: One hurt in stabbing at light rail station, MEDIC says