‘No harm’: Man arrested after firing shots at group in Uptown park claims self-defense

CHARLOTTE — A man has been arrested and faces charges after shots were fired in Romare-Bearden Park over the weekend.

Darnell Harris, 19, is accused of firing shots at a group of people in the park on Saturday night, according to court documents.

Police records say Harris took a gun from his friend and fired shots at the group. He was arrested that night and has since been released after posting a $5,000 secured bond.

READ: Man charged in Uptown shooting; friend claims self-defense

MEDIC said paramedics responded to the scene, but no one was hurt.

Harris told Channel 9’s Evan Donovan that he was only shooting in self-defense.

He said a group of young people with guns approached him and his brother and tried to take his chain.

“I said, ‘No, you’re not getting my chain.’ But they kept pushing,” Harris said. “He was telling his brother or whoever to grab my chain off of me, so I started walking away. They started chasing and following.”

He said that’s when he fired shots. According to reports, police saw a group of juveniles running, followed by two shots 10 seconds later.

“I then grabbed my brother’s open-carried weapon, fired a warning shot,” Harris said. “I then turned around and tried to get away from them, and I heard retaliation shots, shooting back at me.”

READ: Armed guards now patrolling Uptown Charlotte parks amid safety push

Donovan asked him if he fired the shot in the air or at the ground. He told Donovan that he fired the shot into the ground toward the group.

Harris was in court Monday facing charges of firing a gun within city limits and possession of marijuana.

But he says that any surveillance video would back up his claims.

“Yes, sir, if they look back at the videos — and hopefully there’s sound — they will see and hear that I was defending myself, and not causing no harm that whole night," Harris said.

Channel 9 reported in July that armed guards had begun patrolling the park after the county began a new contract with the security guards to deter crime in the area.

Reporters with Channel 9 have been reporting on crime in the area in recent weeks, including a deadly shooting across from the park on Brevard Court.

No additional details have been made available.

This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.

Tune in to Channel 9 at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. for more information.

WATCH: Man charged in Uptown shooting; friend claims self-defense