‘Extremely upsetting': CMPD hoping community can help solve recent homicides

CHARLOTTE — Police say the community can help solve the ongoing violence that has so far plagued the city of Charlotte in 2020. There have been 11 homicides so far this month -- two of them on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, CMPD was called to West Boulevard in west Charlotte after Tykari Brown was shot to death. They then responded to West Sugar Creek Road in north Charlotte where someone shot and killed Katie Eckerd.

CMPD said on Wednesday that the violence that has taken the lives of many young people this year is “extremely upsetting.”

Police said the age range of the suspects arrested in several of the city’s recent homicides is between 16 and 29 years old.

In many of the homicide cases this month, drugs were involved, but police said many of the victims were innocent, including two 14-year-old boys.

Police said they have nine arrests in seven of the recent homicides. CMPD Lt. Bryan Crum pointed out that investigators have had more cooperation from witnesses, which helped them quickly arrest three people in Eckerd’s slaying.

“Without that collaborative effort between, you know, the people in the community that saw what happened, our officers initially responding, working with communication, and talking to detectives, we were able to bring swift resolution to that -- so within hours we had people in custody,” Crum said.

Four people were killed a month ago in a shooting on Beatties Ford Road.

Police said more people are helping them in recent cases, but families of the victims are still waiting for answers.

“You wake up, you think your son is coming home, you know?” said Charles Billings, a father of a shooting victim. “You know he’s not coming home.”

Billings understands an arrest in the murder of his son, Jamaa Cassell, won’t bring him back.

“We know somebody knows what happened to my son and to give us a little peace of mind, if somebody would step up,” Billings said.

Billings hopes more arrests happen, including in his son’s case.

“Help us out,” Billings said. “Help the police out, so we can get this guy off the street or these people off the street, so they won’t hurt another family like they hurt mine.”

Officials say CMPD said it is getting a steady stream of tips through Crime Stoppers and while it does help, it’s that direct contact with witnesses, who can help them solve these crimes quickly. Any tips leading to an arrest can be worth up to a $5,000 reward in any of those 17 unsolved homicides.

16-year-old is latest Charlotte homicide victim; new CMPD chief frustrated 16-year-old is latest Charlotte homicide victim; new CMPD chief frustrated

Cox Media Group