CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A sudden streak of violent crime is hitting the Queen City. There have been more than half a dozen shootings, including two murders, just since the weekend.
The latest case happened Tuesday morning. Police said three teenagers were shot on the 1700 block of Russell Avenue. The victims were rushed to the hospital; one had with life-threatening injuries.
Several of the recent shootings have involved young victims; the youngest was just six-years-old. NBC Charlotte asked Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police how they’re responding to the violence.
Ivanella Jones lived down the block from the scene of the latest shooting near Russell Avenue.She said she worries about the safety of her grandchildren.
“They need to stop the violence in this neighborhood,” Jones told NBC Charlotte. “My concern is what were they doing out at that time of night? Where was the parents that time of night?”
About ten minutes away, a six-year-old girl was shot over the weekend.
“She had just got here, just got out of the car, somebody road by stuck an assault rifle out the window in broad daylight and shot an innocent child,” the victim’s grandmother told NBC Charlotte.
The little girl is expected to be okay, but the recent streak of violence has claimed lives. On Monday, a 19-year-old was shot and killed on East 16th Street near Little Sugar Creek Greenway. Before that, a 17-year-old was charged in the shooting death of an 18-year-old in west Charlotte.
“The police are doing what they can, they doing all they can, they are overworked and underpaid,” said Jones.
Jones said she wants the city to hire more officers. Meantime, she won’t let her grandkids out of the house alone.
“They can’t come outside and play because of the guns, the guns,” said Jones.
CMPD told NBC Charlotte they were not available for an interview on Tuesday. However, they said violent crime is actually down nine percent overall compared to this time last year.