9 Investigates: McDonald’s vows changes after pattern of violent crime in south Charlotte

CHARLOTTE — Armed robberies, assaults, and shootings -- Channel 9 uncovered a pattern of violent crime at a south Charlotte McDonald’s restaurant.

McDonald’s and CMPD are now working together to prevent violent crime at and near this location.

LaCarta Roseborough says his son, of the same name, loved his job at the McDonald’s on South Boulevard near the Starmount neighborhood. He says he went to McDonald’s almost every day and would work from noon until midnight.

“He was a hard worker,” LaCarta Roseborough Sr. said. “He didn’t really do too much all day. All he wanted to do was go to work and hang out with his friends.”

His last day of work was March 11. He was shot and killed while he was on break.

“I got a call that night. I was in Greensboro working and they said that he had been shot,” Roseborough Sr said. “By the time I got to the hospital, he had passed away.”

His son was 23-years-old. No arrests have been made.

“He just shot him and walked away,” he said. “Senseless stuff. If you had a problem with him, you could have talked to him and you could have worked it out. But to shoot him cold-blooded. I don’t understand why.”

The shooting death of Roseborough was one of three shootings at the McDonald’s that Channel 9 reported on over a period of six months. We pulled police reports for this location and found that going back to January 1, 2022, there have been 15 cases of serious or violent crime at this location.

The incidents include a man being pistol whipped and robbed outside the restaurant and a man claiming a worker at the McDonald’s pointed a gun at him.

CMPD Deputy Chief David Robinson says the department has had challenges in this area. He says the McDonald’s got on the department’s radar after the two homicides, which appear to be unrelated.

He says the department worked with the restaurant’s management and ownership to make changes, including enhancing security and lighting.

Robinson added that those efforts and the work of the Westover Division have led to a decrease of violent crime in the neighborhood.

“I think it’s easy to say, well, there’s two homicides there, so it has been unsafe,” Robinson said. “The truth is that crime can happen anywhere, anytime.”

But while Robinson claims crime is down in this part of town, the investigation into Roseborough’s death continues. He says detectives still want people who know anything to come forward. So does Roseborough’s dad.

“I just want him to be remembered as a joyous, happy person,” he said. “I just don’t understand it.”

In a statement, McDonald’s confirmed it is working with CMPD on new security measures.

The new security measures include:

• Increase in police presence in the evening
• More security cameras
• The restaurant lobby now closes at 10 p.m.
• Food delivery in the evening has now been moved to the drive-thru window to cut down on activity in the parking lot after dark.

If you have any information on Roseborough’s death, you’re urged to call Charlotte Mecklenburg Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.

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