CHARLOTTE, N.C. — One person was arrested after a 12-year-old boy was shot in the leg in north Charlotte Thursday morning, police said.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police responded to a call of a shooting at the intersection of Reagan Drive and West Sugar Creek around 7:30 a.m.
Following arrival, officers found a boy with a gunshot wound. He was rushed to the hospital with minor injuries.
CMPD said the suspect, later identified as 29-year-old Ray Daniels, sped away from the scene. A Mecklenburg County deputy was in the area at the time of the shooting and initiated a pursuit that ended in northwest Charlotte. CMPD said the deputy saw Daniels get into the passenger side of a vehicle and speed away from the scene. Daniels reportedly shot at the deputy during the pursuit.
Daniels complained about having trouble breathing after he was arrested. CMPD said the suspect ran from officers after crashing his car at Brookshire Boulevard and Linwood. He was caught at the intersection of Hoskins Road and Woodman. He was taken into police custody and will be taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries, according to CMPD.
CMPD charged Daniels with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, assault with a deadly weapon on a law enforcement officer, possession of a firearm by felon and discharging a weapon into an occupied vehicle.
A gun believed to be the one used in the shooting was found in the suspect's possession at the time of his arrest, police said. A second suspect that jumped and ran from the vehicle has not been arrested.
"The subject was shooting at the folks on Sugar Creek and a 13-year-old boy was struck in the leg," said a CMPD officer at the scene. "He was just an innocent bystander. That's the risk when you have violent incidents like this happening."
Mecklenburg County Sheriff Irwin Carmichael said Deputy Corey Thompson's actions "saved lives." Deputy Thompson did not return fire during the encounter, according to Carmichael and CMPD.
"Deputy Thompson was driving by on Sugar Creek Road and heard gunfire," Carmichael said. "He immediately reacted, he looked around, saw where the gunfire was coming and engaged the subject. From there, a pursuit, just as the chief said, happened."
The motive for the shooting is not yet known. Several witnesses at the scene have interviewed with detectives. No formal charges have been announced.
Editor's note: Initial reports indicated the victim was 13 years old. The most recent information from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police says the child is 12. This has been reflected in the copy, but the quote from Sheriff Irwin Carmichael has not been edited.
This is a developing story. Please stick with WCNC.com as more information becomes available. For the latest updates, download the WCNC app today.
