CHARLOTTE — Another shooting this month occurred overnight in Uptown Charlotte, leaving one person seriously injured on North Caldwell Street near the Spectrum Center.
This incident is part of a trend of violence in Uptown Charlotte, where 15 people have been shot in six separate incidents this July alone. The shootings have mostly occurred at night, spreading concern among residents and prompting calls for increased security measures.
“That’s very troubling. We would like to see far more police presence,” said Chris Connelly, a longtime resident of Uptown’s Fourth Ward.
Andy Pacheco, another Uptown resident, expressed his concerns, saying, “I feel like this is major city issues.”
The violence in Uptown has led to heightened concerns about safety among residents.
Connelly, who has lived in the city’s Fourth Ward for 27 years, has long advocated for more security in Uptown’s parks, where previous crimes have occurred.
On July 17, two teenagers were shot near Romare Bearden Park.
In response to the rising violence, Mecklenburg County hired armed guards to patrol several Uptown parks 24/7 at the beginning of the month.
However, their presence has been inconsistent, as observed at Fourth Ward Park and Romare Bearden Park.
Channel 9 reached out to CMPD asking them if they plan to do anything different here in Uptown to try to prevent these shootings whether they will boost patrols or have more officers physically walking the beat. We did not hear back at the time of this report.
A special tax increase is currently in effect in Uptown’s Fourth Ward, aimed at helping businesses hire additional security. This tax hike amounts to a fraction of a cent per $100, translating to an extra $82 annually for a property valued at $1 million.
As Uptown Charlotte grapples with a surge in shootings, residents continue to call for increased police presence and effective security measures to curb the violence. The community remains vigilant, hoping for a swift response from local authorities to ensure safety and peace in the area.
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