Two teenage suspects, Carlos Roberto Diaz (18) and a 16-year-old boy, were arrested in connection with a series of five shootings that occurred in Charlotte, North Carolina on July 9, 2024. The shootings resulted in one fatality and left several others injured. According to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), both suspects are expected to face multiple charges including first-degree murder.
The first shooting was reported around 1 a.m., at the intersection of Statesville Avenue and Lasalle Street, where Mustafa Muhammad, a 58-year-old man, was fatally shot in his vehicle. Minutes later, another shooting occurred near the intersection of Newland Road and Lasalle Street where a bicyclist was shot but not injured. A third shooting took place on Lasalle Street near Interstate 77 where a vehicle was hit by gunfire.
A fourth shooting occurred in the Steel Creek area, where a bicyclist was wounded in the 100 block of Hillary Circle and a nearby house sustained damage from stray bullets. The fifth shooting took place at around 1:30 a.m., in the 2100 block of Catherine Simmons Drive, where a female victim was struck by gunfire while inside her home.
Carlos Roberto Diaz, who is originally from Honduras and was in the U.S. illegally at the time of his arrest, was identified as one of the suspects. He will be charged with first-degree murder and other related offenses following his arrest on July 13, 2024.
The second suspect, a 16-year-old boy, was arrested earlier in the day after officers noticed a suspicious vehicle matching the description of one used in the shootings. He will also be charged with first-degree murder and other related offenses.
Deputy Chief Tonya Arrington of CMPD stated that investigators believe all five shootings are connected based on a description of the car driven by the suspects, shell casings from the firearms used, time frame, and proximity. Forensic lab testing has confirmed at least three incidents are linked.
The motive behind these shootings remains unclear at this time. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is continuing to investigate.
