CHARLOTTE, N.C. — One man was killed and two others were hurt in a shooting at a Shell gas station in north Charlotte late Tuesday night, police say.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police responded to a reported shooting at the Sam's Mart along Beatties Ford Road just south of Interstate 85 around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. When officers arrived, they found three people who had been shot. One of the victims, later identified as 27-year-old Jadarius Marticee McCullough, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Two others were rushed to a Charlotte hospital with serious injuries, according to Medic. One of the victims suffered serious injuries. The third victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
A witness told WCNC Charlotte two men got into an argument that escalated and resulted in both men firing shots. Homicide detectives remained on the scene early Wednesday after searching the area for any potential witnesses.
On Friday, CMPD announced 18-year-old Jaylin Lamont Johnson of Kannapolis, North Carolina, was arrested and charged with murder, attempted murder and discharge of a firearm within an enclosure to incite fear.
People who live in the community said shootings like these are becoming way too frequent, and they are tired of this senseless loss of life.
"Sadly it is not surprising," Jerome, who did not share his last name, said. "It would be more surprising if I woke up and there was not a shooting the night before."
WCNC Charlotte spoke to the father of the third man shot, identified only as Mr. Henry. He said his son was just heading home from work and made a quick stop when he was shot.
"It's scary! It's scary, my son could have died too," he said. "He lied down, trying to escape the shots, but they shot him in the leg."
Mr. Henry said his son had to undergo surgery, but said he expects him to make it back home Tuesday night.
The Alternatives to Violence (ATV) group works directly in the Beatties Ford Road Corridor. Leaders say as they work to keep the corridor safe, acts of violence still hurt to see.
"We work so hard in these streets to try to prevent situations like this and for it to come so close to home -- it is just heartbreaking for me," Donnell Gardner, site supervisor with ATV, said.
Some of the team members said they even knew two of the victims.
“We worked with one of the young men last year at the starter school. It’s heartbreaking, it's heavy and right now we have a young man who had changed his life for the best. He started giving back to the community and started a career doing what he loved doing best,” said Garrett. “Now this young man is fighting for his life.”
They said every life lost to gun violence is a tragedy, and they are not going to stop fighting for these communities.
"My son and [one of the victims] were great friends," Gardner said. "I watched them grow up together. I've had a chance to mentor them, coach them, and be a part of their lives as much as I could."
The group shared a strong message Wednesday: Put the guns down and find other ways to resolve your issues.
“If you have an issue with somebody, it doesn’t make you a chump to try to diffuse the situation. It doesn’t make you less of a man or woman not to want to fight or shoot,” Elliott Vinson, a violence interrupter with the group, said.
“We have to start teaching our young people the value of life, what it means to put the guns down and conflict resolution, and really being out in the community, being part of the solution and not the problem,” Leondra Garrett, another site supervisor with ATV, said.
Stephanie Harrison, the founder of the Stop Killing Our Kids Support Group, was also at the scene. She knows firsthand the pain families feel when they lose loved ones; her own son was shot and killed eight years ago.
“It’s a parent's worst nightmare come true,” said Harrison. “Parents shouldn’t have to bury our kids. Kids should be burying us -- so these senseless killings need to stop.”
Police have not released any more details about a possible suspect or what led up to the shooting. Anyone with information about this shooting is asked to call Charlotte Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600. Witnesses may also call 704-432-TIPS to speak directly with homicide detectives. All calls to Crime Stoppers are anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest.
Contact Jesse Pierre at jpierrepet@wcnc.com or follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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