CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Two teenagers were killed in a shooting at an apartment complex in northeast Charlotte Wednesday morning, police said.
It happened at the Evoke Living apartments just off West Sugar Creek Road. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police responded to a reported shooting at the complex shortly after 9:15, according to Deputy Chief Zeru Chickoree. Multiple CMPD vehicles were at the complex and crime scene tape was set up in the parking lot.
When officers arrived, they were taken inside a building where two young people were found shot. Both victims were rushed to Atrium Health's Carolinas Medical Center where they were pronounced dead, Chickoree explained.
The victims have since been identified as Tzion Dae, 16, and Amir Kidd, 15. CMPD said next have kin have been notified.
"It's heartbreaking to go through the holidays with the loss of loved ones," Chickoree said.
Chickoree said at this time there doesn't appear to be a threat to the public at large. It's unclear what led to the shooting at this time. Chickoree said CMPD would release more information as it becomes available but didn't want to speculate as to what happened.
“This is an opportunity maybe for parents and loved ones to speak to our young men and women that are growing, that are trying to develop, and let them know that committing acts of violence against other people isn’t going to solve anything," Chickoree said.
This was the second shooting in Charlotte on Wednesday. One person was killed and another was injured in a shooting near the South Carolina border in Steele Creek around 2:30 a.m.
Meanwhile, Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden said more needs to be done to combat youth violence.
“It’s become a fashionable thing to be violent," McFadden said. “Social media drives a lot of it, bullying.”
McFadden called the trends alarming but says there needs to be a consistent effort by everyone in the community to create change.
“We need to be consistent in talking to our teens," McFadden said. “I’m hoping going into the new year, that I can come to communities and have long conversations, not Q&As ... Q&As don’t work anymore, we need to have honest conversations with our kids at their level."
Anyone with information about this shooting is asked to call Charlotte Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600. Witnesses may also call 704-432-TIPS to speak directly with homicide detectives. Information that leads to an arrest may be eligible for a cash reward.
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