CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A local teenager was shot multiple times after attempting to rob a person during a meeting for an online exchange Thursday afternoon at the Victoria Park Apartments off Stoney Trace Drive in Mint Hill, police said.
Mint Hill Police Chief Tim Ledford said it started when the teen agreed, via an online app, to sell an Xbox to another man.
When the two met in person, the seller attempted to rob the would-be buyer.
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“He tried to pull a gun on the buyer,” Ledford said. “The buyer retaliated and shot the individual trying to sell the XBox.”
The would-be buyer shot the accused robber several times.
During the investigation, Ledford says they found out that same accused robber may have also pulled the same stunt two hours earlier with another person.
“As far as online, I try to stay away from that stuff, especially with people I don’t know,” Mint Hill resident Tiffany Ledbetter said. “To me, it’s kind of dangerous.”
Bob Sottile, who met a man outside police headquarters Friday to pick up Legos for his children’s Christmas girl, thinks the process is perfectly safe.
He said he's never had an issue in the 10 times he has met strangers after negotiating a deal online.
“This is my first time here at this place,” Sottile said. “We normally got to Aldi down the street, someplace public.”
Mint Hill police urge people to meet at their exchange zone to make online exchanges.
The area is marked with green paint and there's a camera to capture the entire transaction.
Last year, a college baseball player was shot and killed in west Charlotte.
Police said Zach Finch was trying to buy a phone through the “Let Go” app last summer, but the people he met tried to rob him instead.
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