CHARLOTTE — Police are investigating a deadly shooting that happened Tuesday afternoon in a busy commercial area off Tom Hunter Road in northeast Charlotte.
Neighbors told Channel 9 the area has been quiet for a long time.
“It’s been ages since something like this has happened in this area,” one resident said.
CMPD officers were called around 2:30 p.m. to a wooded alley behind several businesses. Major Brad Koch said officers found a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He later died at the hospital.
Investigators believe the 16-year-old victim and the shooter knew each other.
“An argument ensued, and the victim was shot,” Koch said.
On Wednesday, the victim was identified as Joseph Samuel.
Crime scene investigators spent the afternoon combing through the alley, which was littered with debris.
Koch said detectives were carefully sorting through discarded items to determine what might be evidence.
Residents said the area used to be a spot where homeless individuals camped before the recent clearing and redevelopment.
CMPD says the suspect ran from the scene after the broad‑daylight shooting, though investigators did not specify whether the person fled on foot or in a vehicle.
“We have a lot of witnesses. We do believe there are a lot of people who saw what happened,” Koch said.
Despite the violence, neighbors told Channel 9 they still feel safe.
“We’re not the first neighborhood, and we won’t be the last for something like this to happen,” one resident said.
The investigation, however, is ongoing.
This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com and watch Eyewitness News for updates.
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