Suspect in Uptown killing had lengthy criminal history, records show

CHARLOTTE — The man accused of killing a man in Uptown and then shooting at police over the weekend apparently had a lengthy criminal history, according to court records obtained by Channel 9 on Tuesday.

It was a cross-county crime spree Saturday, but now 26-year-old Joseph Crawford is behind bars and charged with first-degree murder.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department says Crawford killed a man near Truist Field in Uptown Charlotte, and when police caught up with him, he shot at officers too.

CMPD officers found 26-year-old Ryan Elliott in his car Saturday morning, but he had been shot in the head. Within six hours, the homicide investigation led officers to Gastonia.

Channel 9 reported when CMPD’s violent criminal apprehension team went to arrest Crawford. As officers turned onto the street, Crawford allegedly shot a gun from a car, and the bullet hit an unmarked car with a detective inside, according to CMPD.

That sparked a chase into Gaston County. Ultimately, the chase ended just outside of Charlotte Douglas International Airport, where Crawford was arrested.

On Tuesday, Channel 9′s Hunter Sáenz got Crawford’s criminal record.

In the past decade, Crawford has faced numerous charges, including robbery with a dangerous weapon, assault with a deadly weapon, and breaking and entering.

We still don’t know what led up to Elliott’s death, but a family member told Sáenz that they’re still in shock at what happened.

Crawford is being held in the Mecklenburg County jail with no bond.

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