‘Not a safe place for my kids.’ Will NYE shooting spur crime solutions in Charlotte?

Charlotte’s leaders are coalescing around a belief that now’s the time to act to stymie a tide of teen crime after a shooting in an uptown park on New Year’s Eve.

But it’s still unclear how city leaders will turn that growing energy into tangible solutions.

A 19-year-old man allegedly fired shots at Romare Bearden Park just before midnight Sunday, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police, leaving five people injured. Daevion Crawford — who has been charged with five counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and one count of going armed to the terror of the public — saw his bond increased to $1.5 million Tuesday.

The shooting was “horrific” and evidence “of the continued focus we must have on addressing public safety,” Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said in her first comments on the incident Tuesday.

“The trauma inflicted by such incidents is immeasurable and should never be experienced by anyone,” she continued in the statement. “With the rise of youth gun violence as a national concern, it is increasingly clear that creating a safe, gun-violence-free environment is a collective responsibility we all must share within our own community.”

There is consensus more needs to be done to improve public safety, multiple Charlotte City Council members told The Charlotte Observer. But city leaders haven’t settled on solutions. And in any case, solutions may come from a coalition of community members.

Will uptown NYE shooting affect events?

Asked about the potential impact of the New Year’s Eve shooting on uptown, Charlotte Center City Partners called the area “the heart of Charlotte” and said the community “must do better.” The group — which promotes development in uptown, South End and midtown — hosted an event the night of the shooting along nearby Levine Avenue of the Arts.

“We remain committed to hosting highly produced, inclusive, safe, community-building events that are powerful assets for quality of life in Charlotte. As always, we will continue to work closely with our partners at CMPD to plan for, and produce, safe gatherings,” CEO Michael J. Smith said in a statement.

But Angelo Tsepelis, general manager for The French Quarter restaurant, said he’s concerned about safety at nearby Romare Bearden Park. He’d like to see the City Council do more to create a controlled environment and beef up security during major events.

“It’s not safe like it used to be,” Tsepelis said, referring to the park when events are scheduled there. “It’s not that bad but I don’t want it to get (worse).”

Charlotte City Council member Victoria Watlington said everyone, both residents and visitors, should be able to enjoy public events in uptown “and not have to worry about whether or not we are safe.”

“With a growing city, you know that there are going to be times when this happens. But certainly when people come, particularly into our city from around the region, we want folks to know that they can come for big events and feel safe …” the at-large Democratic council member said. “If they don’t feel comfortable, they won’t come.”

Fellow council member Tariq Bokhari said he’s been “flooded with messages” since the incident from witnesses who said they “could tell something was heading in a bad direction” on the night of the shooting.

“We’ll see how this case plays out, but clearly a 19-year-old with a firearm and doing whatever was done there seems dumb at best and absolutely evil at worst,” the District 6 Republican said.

He said, “There aren’t many people anymore left in Charlotte that are logical minded that are going to go uptown for an event.”

The shooting “reaffirms the mentality that most people in Charlotte already have about what’s going on,” Bokhari said, that it’s “not a safe place for me to go with my family, not a safe place for my kids to be going.”

Romare Bearden Park, Charlotte crime statistics

CMPD has reported at least 80 incidents at Romare Bearden Park since the beginning of 2021, data show. They include 11 simple assaults, five aggravated assaults and three robberies, according to an Observer analysis of police data.

In 2023, CMPD responded to four aggravated assaults or robberies — the most serious crimes that have taken place at the park in recent years. That’s up from one in 2021.

Crowds were seen running from the park on July Fourth when a group of juveniles set off illegal fireworks and ran through the crowd wearing masks, causing a panic, the Observer reported at the time. Police ultimately arrested 17 juveniles, cited 15 of their parents or guardians and seized four firearms in connection with the incident and fights, which occurred when tens of thousands were gathered for the Charlotte Knights’ holiday fireworks show at Truist Field.

Overall violent crime was on the decline in Charlotte in 2023, CMPD said previously, but shootings among individuals under the age of 18 had spiked 32% from the previous year.

“The rate at which we are seeing juveniles pull the trigger is alarming, and points to a greater community problem,” CMPD Deputy Chief Jacquelyn Hulsey said during an October news briefing.

Juan Hall, an outreach worker with Charlotte’s Alternatives to Violence program, attributed the spike to young people struggling with their communication skills in the age of social media and lacking conflict resolution skills.

“Nobody knows how to sit down and communicate ... That’s a lost art form in society,” he said.

Hall believes parents and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools are doing their best to give kids and teens the support they need. He added it’s hard for those groups to do it alone when many parents are working multiple jobs and school is only in session so many hours a day.

“The kids ... their behavior is not that bad. They just get into the wrong crowds looking for love,” he said. “What we need to do as a community is bring back the things that we had: Boys and Girls Clubs, more mentorship programs, more afterschool programs.”

What can be done to make Charlotte safer?

The rise in youth crime is part of why Bokhari called for the city to launch a new task force on crime Tuesday.

“The important thing for me on this one is to help light the fire, but make sure it’s an effort in partnership amongst the entire City Council. This isn’t a partisan thing,” he said. “I’ve heard from my colleagues before, and I know this is important to them.”

Bokhari said he’d like to see the task force include a variety of people, including the Mecklenburg County district attorney, Mecklenburg County sheriff, CMPD leadership, representatives from the judicial system and Charlotte’s city attorney and city manager.

The group would dive into crime statistics, especially splitting up youth offenders from adults and looking into repeat offenders. They would also help craft policies, local ordinances and state laws to reduce recidivism and change behaviors.

Whether police, politicians or community members want to talk about public safety, Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather says he’s interested.

“Any time people have intentions to fortify public safety and figure out good community strategies, I’m there for it,” Merriweather said. It would be premature to say what work he expects the group to do, he added.

Fellow Council member Malcolm Graham, a Democrat whose District 2 includes Romare Bearden Park, said Tuesday leaders have known for a while they needed to “take some proactive steps forward” on public safety and that the New Year’s Eve’s shooting “makes that more urgent.”

The problems with violence extend beyond what happened in uptown, Graham added. If a task force comes together, he’d like to see faith leaders, business owners, nonprofits and more also involved.

Hall, who works with young people in the Beatties Ford Road corridor, said it will be important for any coalition to include people who can connect with kids and teens — not just prominent leaders.

“If you want to speak to a child that’s out here on the streets, you’ve got to have somebody they identify with, that’s not intimidated by the people,” he said. “You’ve got to have somebody who looks like them, that dresses like them, that maybe talks like them to get things going.”

At-large Council member Dimple Ajmera said the community must “look within and unpack how we got here” in order “to make tomorrow safer than today.”

“As leaders, we must have the courage to address root causes, even when it’s uncomfortable,” she said in a statement. “As a community, we must wrap our arms around those hurting and at risk before they lash out. And as parents, we must model compassion while also teaching accountability.”

Watlington, who chairs the council’s Housing, Safety and Community Committee, said there’s been ongoing discussion among council members in the wake of the New Year’s Eve shooting about the best next steps.

Watlington said she’s spoken with Bokhari about his proposal and noted there are “a lot of structures already in place” to address what he’s advocating for, including Mecklenburg County’s Criminal Justice Advisory Group and community organizations. More support is needed for grassroots organizations working to build community and address issues at the neighborhood level, she added.

And it will take more than just one group or governing body to address the many root issues around crime, including systemic racism, a lack of gun control and gaps in funding for mental health care and public education, Watlington said.

“The issues that impact crime, that impact equity and mobility? They’re not quick fixes. They’re all part of our systems.”

Observer reporters Catherine Muccigrosso, Ryan Oehrli and Gavin Off contributed to this story.

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