Two brothers were arrested early yesterday morning and charged with murder. Police say 23-year-old Marquette Battle (R) and 16-year-old Dominique Battle (L) shot two people last Tuesday on Redwood Avenue in east Charlotte, NC.
Sanchase Beasley, 20, was pronounced dead at the scene and another 12 year old victim was shot in the foot. He is expected to be okay. The suspects remain behind bars in the Mecklenburg County jail. They are scheduled to appear in court on Friday afternoon.
This is outrageous! Today in Charlotte, a young couple with three children were out committing armed robbery with their newborn baby in tow. Even worse- the couple left their other two children (ages 1 & 2) at home alone during their crime spree.
Tiffany Nicole Cabral (R) and charged them with robbery with a dangerous weapon and child abuse. 
Three apartment complexes in Charlotte are known to be crime "hot spots." All three apartment complexes are off North Tryon Street and back up to the Hidden Valley community. Mostly, these apartment complexes have been a hot spot for robberies. Woodland Hollow Apartments, (where a man was shot Tuesday) the Maple Run Apartments and North Point Apartment have been working with police to improve safety for the past two years- but obviously they have more work to do! 
Crime has increased in the university area 65% in August of 2006 compared to August 2005. So far, there have been 16 robberies this month, and in UNCC's 2005 annual security report, UNCC police said car thefts and burglaries have also increased. Police said one reason crime has gone up is students are becoming more comfortable in their surroundings and are being careless. Police passed out pamphlets on Wednesday to remind students to be smart and that will help them be safe.
CMPD and UNCC campus police worked together teaching students ways to avoid becoming victims. Campus police officer Sgt. Craig Nance said the biggest things students can do is "personal awareness (and) just being aware of your surroundings.” Police also suggest walking in groups on campus, keeping an eye on your belongings and always locking cars and dorm rooms. Also, students also shouldn’t be afraid to call police. After all, that is what they are there for. 
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police and the FBI are investigating two incidents which happened Wednesday morning and appear to be related. A purse snatching was reported at the Wachovia on Hovis Road in Northwest Charlotte. The victim told police two black men stole her purse. She said the suspects had bandanas covering their faces. They were wearing either white shirts and black pants, or all white pant suits.
Police are investigating a shooting which happened in south Charlotte tonight. The shooting occurred along the 9500 block of Loblolly Lane around 9 pm. The victim, identified as 21-year-old Travis Aiken- was shot multiple times and suffered life-threatening injuries. 
Paramedics rushed the victim to Carolinas Medical Center where he immediately underwent surgery. Police used a helicopter and a canine unit to search for the suspect along Longleaf Drive but were unable to apprehend him. Source: WBTV
Police are investigating two shootings that happened in Charlotte, NC on Monday night.
Less than an hour later, police responded to a drive-by shooting in east Charlotte on Shamrock Drive. (Map Left) Someone fired several shots into a car, hitting the female driver multiple times. The passenger was not hurt. The victim was taken to Carolinas Medical Center with serious injuries and underwent surgery. Police say they think the shooting could be gang-related. No arrests have been made. Sources: WSOC-TV & WBTV
The home invasion happened around 10:00 this morning on Redding Road in North Charlotte. Police say a man forced his way inside and pistol-whipped one of two women inside. Officers say he then escorted the women from room to room, stealing items. The women made a daring escape, jumping from the second-story window.
Neighbors say the women ran from door-to-door in their neighborhood, ringing doorbells. Monday night, one of the women underwent surgery for injuries from the jump. Police continue to look for the men who committed the robbery. If you have any information in the case; please call crime stoppers anonymously at 704-334-1600. Sources: WSOC & WCNC
Another story of bad parenting in Charlotte... A 39-year-old Charlotte woman was cited by CMPD police on Sunday after officers said she left her two children in a car while she shopped at a nearby store. 
Name : BROWN, ANTHONY JR
Name : NIXON, MARK A
Name : MILLER, BENJAMIN 
Name : BARNETT, MICHELLE NICOLE 
Thousands of people pass through the Mecklenburg County Courthouse every day-- CMPD officers and Sheriff's deputies make sure that nobody sneaks anything in that could threaten the safety of those inside.
In the past month, officers have collected razor blades, construction tools, drug scales, box cutters, pocket knives, bullets and shotgun shells at the metal detectors. 6NEWS watched deputies work the main courthouse doors for two hours. In just that time- they saw two people stopped for trying to bring in knives.
No weapons are allowed in the courtroom. The sheriff's office told 6NEWS that in 2005, more than 6,000 items were found. The list includes steak knives, tasers, a stun gun and handcuff keys. That number also includes what's found outside the courthouse. Throughout the day, deputies comb bushes and alcoves looking for things people stash before they try to come in. Deputies said they have to look closely because you never know what someone's intentions are.
"The main part of us being here is trying to keep a safe, controlled environment for the people who come in here," said Sheriff Deputy Rhodes. Everything collected gets documented and eventually a lot of it is burned. It's just part of the job, to keep the courts safe. "It's an ongoing process. Even when it gets slow, someone will surprise you," said Rhodes. Source: WCNC
* Keeping the courts safe - VIDEO
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police are concerned about a possible turf war between two of Charlotte's most notorious gangs: The "Bloods" and The "Kings". The gang graffiti appeared overnight in the Hidden Valley neighborhood, located in East Charlotte. Understandably, the residents are on edge after gang graffiti appeared in their neighborhood. The graffiti was done in red spray-paint in and said "Blood City." The color red is used to designate the "Bloods" gang. Charlotte police have fought gang activity in the Hidden Valley neighborhood before- but officers said gang activity in the area has always been associated with the "Hidden Valley Kings" gang.
Police said they believe this latest tagging signifies that the group wants to move in on a neighborhood where the Kings have operated from in the past. Now police worry about the Bloods moving into the area - an action that usually results in a turf war, police said. 
If you read my August 9th post titled "Wanted: Richard Baskin," you will remember this 19 year old kid was wanted by Mint Hill Police for driving drunk and causing a serious car accident, involving children. Baskin has been arrested six times in the past two years and apparently he still hasn't learned his lesson....
Recently- the news is filled with reports of unruly passengers and strange smells and other reasons for planes to be diverted & make unexpected landings... Today, two people were arrested on flights coming to Charlotte, NC. One flight that was headed to Charlotte was diverted to Oklahoma City airport because of an unruly passenger. He was subsequently arrested and the flight continued to Charlotte without incident. (See Article) 
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers arrested David Rosales Martinez, 32, (R) for trying to kidnap an eight-year-old girl in an east Charlotte apartment complex. Police say Martinez tried to pull an eight-year-old girl off her swing and grab her throat in the apartment complex's playground around 8 pm on Thursday. The girl's 10-year-old sister saw the man attempting to take her sister and both girls began screaming. The screaming drew attention to the scene and Martinez left. 
CMPD officers were called to Sugarstone Lane around 11:30 pm on Thursday night. Authorities say the victim told them he was robbed and then shot in the leg. Police are searching for a suspect.
Name : MCCLAIN, JOHN THOMAS III 
Name : BROWN, JEFFREY NEAL 
Name : LOVEALL, ROBERT EDWARD 
Name : SUNOL, JULIO CESAR 
Name : EDUARDS-WRIGHT , CEDRIC FRANCISCO 
Name : CHUMLEY, CRYSTAL 
Name : KING, LENA MARIE 
Name : SANCHEZ, ALEXANDER 
Crime statistics for the month of July indicate the number of murders in Charlotte are down, but burglaries, car thefts and deadly accidents are up. So far this year there have been 39 murders in Charlotte- compared to 49 at this same time last year. The police department officials believe new initiatives to fight crime are working and if those initiatives were not in place, the numbers would be higher.
Charlotte, NC Crime stats for July 2006:
A BellSouth employee discovered a man shot to death on his porch in West Charlotte, NC. Police said the worker was making a service call in the 2700 block of Parkway Avenue just before 2:30 pm- when he found 43-year-old Derick Jones shot to death. Police said the man was shot multiple times.
The man was seen alive early Wednesday, investigators said. They aren't saying who last saw him or when. Neighbors told police they heard gunshots Wednesday afternoon but no one called 911. Neighbors also said Jones lived with his wife, daughter and two small grandchildren.
The broken window triggered a silent alarm and Pineville police were there in minutes, but the suspects escaped the scene -- some in a stolen Mazda Protégé and the others in a green Ford Taurus. The Taurus crashed in a nearby parking lot and police were able to apprehend 20-year-old Jerrell Boyd (Left) and 16-year-old Quenton Dye (Right) when they jumped out to run.
Officers also recovered 10 shotguns, a rifle, a handgun and some tennis shoes from the car. Authorities say four suspects are still at large and they're considered armed and dangerous. Police say they are still missing three guns and ammunition. 
Pineville Police & CMPD officers responded to a burglar alarm at the Dick's Sporting Goods in the Centrum shopping center on Pineville-Matthews road around 5 am today. 
Five suspects fled the scene, two in the Mazda and three in a Green Ford Taurus. Officers pursued the vehicles and the Taurus crashed into a powerbox in the parking lot behind the Office Depot next door to Dick's. (R) 
Officers also followed the other car, the Mazda protégé, but it got away. Those two suspects are still at large. 
An overnight shooting left one person dead and sent another to the hospital. Two people were shot on Redwood Avenue around 2:15 am on Tuesday, according to police. One person died at the scene and the other was taken to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries.
Police also recovered a stolen car on the same street where the shooting happened. They are processing it to see if it had anything to do with the shooting. Officers said they plan on releasing more information Tuesday morning. If you have any information in the case; please call crime stoppers anonymously at 704-334-1600. 
Today, NC Governor Mike Easley signed a new bill into law, making it easier for judges to convict drunk drivers. A good percentage of people pulled over for drunk driving are getting away with it- but that is going to change. The new law comes into effect on December 1, 2006.
A 9-month old baby boy is clinging to life after he ingested cocaine in his Monroe, NC home last night. Union County police responded to a call from Union Regional Medical Center around 9:30 pm. 
According to police reports, the baby's father, Brandon Scott Lewis, 22, (Top Right) left him in a room without supervision. The father and his two friends, Jonathan Henderson, 37, (Left) and Matt Autry, 19, (Bottom Right) returned to the room and discovered that the child had eaten cocaine.
Brandon Lewis and Jonathan Henderson have been charged with possession of cocaine & assault to inflict serious injury. Matt Autry was charged with possession of cocaine and delivery of cocaine. Source: WCNC
