Two teen suspects arrested in relation to the multiple related in what appeared to be a erratic drive-by shooting in North Carolina.
A community in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been frightened by a series of shootings before this week, resulting in one death and injuries to two others, police released on Thursday.
String of Shooting Rocks North Carolina
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Deputy Chief Tonya Arrington held a news conference on Thursday to reveal the details of the apprehensions.
The five shootings transpired between 1 a.m. and 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, involving shots fired from a vehicle at other vehicles or cyclists.
Officers patrolling the scenes of the shootings noticed a suspicious vehicle on Thursday morning, leading to the arrest of a 16-year-old boy discovered with a stolen gun.
The 16-year-old suspect was interviewed and arrested, followed by the arrest of an 18-year-old man, named as Carlos Roberto Diaz, later that day. Both suspects are believed to be responsible for the firing spree, and police verified that no other suspects are at large.
Police Work Credited for Timely Arrests
Deputy Chief Arrington praised the officers for their hard work, attributing the apprehensions to their diligent work and instincts. She explained that the officers were in the right places at the right times and knew what to look for, counting on their gut instincts as law enforcement professionals.
Arrington also noted that the younger suspect had intended to continue the violent crime spree if he had not been apprehended. The 16-year-old, whose identity remains undisclosed, will face charges of first-degree murder and has been transferred to the Department of Juvenile Justice.
Diaz faces numerous charges, including first-degree murder, felony conspiracy to commit murder, five counts of attempted murder, two counts of shooting into an occupied vehicle, and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. It remains unclear if Diaz has secured legal representation.
Timeline of the Shooting Spree
The first incident occurred around 1 a.m. on Tuesday when Mustaffa Muhammad, 58, was fatally shot while driving northbound on Statesville Avenue. Shortly after, police responded to several more shooting reports:
1:09 a.m.: A cyclist was shot at but escaped uninjured at the intersection of Lasalle Street and Newland Road.
1:11 a.m.: A vehicle was hit by gunfire on Lasalle Street near Interstate 77, followed by shots fired at a group in the 2100 block of Catherine Simmons Drive. A woman inside a nearby home was struck by gunfire but survived.
1:25 a.m.: Another cyclist was shot and wounded in the Steel Creek area on Hillary Circle. Nearby, a house was also struck by gunfire.
Police have forensically linked three of the five shootings to the suspects. Arrington confirmed there are no gang ties to the incidents, leaving the motive for the seemingly random acts of violence unknown.
Arrington stated that they are still questioning why two juveniles would target random victims in this manner. She noted that the behavior is random and highly unusual.
The speedy response of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police have brought a sense of relief to the community, but questions about the provocations behind the senseless violence remain unanswered. The apprehensions emphasize the significance of alert and proactive policing in averting additional injury to innocent victims.
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