CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officers involved in the deadly shooting in December 2023 will not face charges, according to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
The shooting happened on Dec. 16, 2023, at 6:13 a.m. in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood. CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings said officers received a call about two men fighting and shots being fired. When officers arrived, they heard the sound of additional gunshots.
The person who had called police was the mother of 33-year-old Sanrico McGill. She told officers she thought her son was the one shooting.
McGill's mother told police "she had recently completed involuntary commitment paperwork on her son and was waiting for CMPD to serve him with the paperwork and take him for treatment," according to the SBI report.
When McGill's mother met with officers on the scene, she aid her son "was not mentally well."
At that point, officers saw McGill come out of the apartment holding a handgun and point it at his brother on the lawn after seemingly racking the slide.
"Officers gave the subject pointing the gun repeated verbal commands in an attempt to de-escalate," CMPD said in a statement.
However, McGill reportedly didn't lower his weapon, so Officers Benjamin DeVries, Sean Werchek, Tymel Carson and James Fisher all fired at McGill. After getting shot twice, McGill allegedly crawled back inside and died.
Officers later discovered the pistol was not loaded.
When WCNC Charlotte first reported on this fatal shooting, Leandra Garrett with the Alternatives to Violence program said she was devastated to hear about a deadly shooting within an area where she grew up.
"It's very heartbreaking because we canvas here every day and we work here every day. So nine times out of 10 we know exactly who it is that this happened to," she said.
For neighbors who still live in the area like Cedric Dean, their concern about law enforcement’s response stems from a lack of communication and understanding of the area.
"We engage these people every day. And we are here with him. But we cannot get the police to work with us," he claimed.
Both Garrett and Dean have a boots-on-the-ground, active approach in helping serve their community. Dean believes their work calls for more from city officials.
“We need them to start being proactive, instead of reactive, right? You know, we need them to show this family down here that they really care about a mental health matter because mental health truly matters,” Dean said.
CMPD said officers immediately rendered aid. Medic then arrived and pronounced the man deceased.
No officers were injured in the incident.
WCNC Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at WCNC Charlotte.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Pandora || TuneIn || Google Podcasts || iHeart
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.
Flashpoint is a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina, South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. Listen to the podcast weekly.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Pandora || Google Podcasts || iHeart
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.