CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A 17-year-old Jack in the Box employee was killed in northwest Charlotte Friday afternoon, police said.
The shooting happened around 2:30 p.m. inside a Jack in the Box restaurant along North Hoskins Road and Brookshire Boulevard. Multiple Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers were at the restaurant with crime scene tape blocking off the parking lot.
CMPD confirmed the victim was a 17-year-old employee. He was identified on Sunday as Fate Brannon.
Detectives said he was targeted by the suspects after he got off work on Friday afternoon.
"A 17-year-old's life was stolen from him," CMPD Major Ryan Butler said. "Not a 17-year-old on the street, breaking into cars, but a 17-year-old just trying to work and go home for Easter weekend."
The suspects were described as two masked men.
On Saturday, police arrested 28-year-old Marcus Dahn as a suspect in the murder. He was first arrested on an unrelated warrant, according to CMPD. After interviewing with detectives, Dahn was named as a suspect in Brannon's killing.
The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office charged Dahn with first-degree murder, felony conspiracy, robbery with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a stolen firearm. He made his first appearance in court Monday morning. Dahn was denied bond and is scheduled to appear again on April 19.
"This isn't just a youth, it's a human," a community advocate told WCNC Charlotte. "We as a community have to come together to stop this. We got to get back to the love. This right here is blood running through our streets."
Brannon's killing was the third homicide in 24 hours in Charlotte. Two people had been killed in separate shootings in east Charlotte late Thursday.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Charlotte Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600. Witnesses may also call 704-432-TIPS to speak directly with CMPD homicide detectives. All calls to Crime Stoppers are anonymous and information that leads to an arrest could be eligible for a reward.
Lisa Crawford with Mothers of Murdered Offspring said the recent violence has been a lot to absorb. She said she doesn't point at city, county and state leaders to inspire change.
“If the police chief was to be where someone was going to kill somebody, they’d kill somebody," Crawford said. "It starts with the parents. We know when they are out of control, parents know when they are out of control.”
She said over the last few months, the faces illuminated by candles at the vigil are getting younger and younger. She said Charlotte has changed and is experiencing the growing pains of expansion.
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