CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte's murder rate jumps again, after two people were killed Monday morning.
The first homicide happened at the intersection of Hidden Valley Road and Sugar Creek around 1 a.m. Monday. Police say two people were shot, including 20-year-old Jamil Davis who died from his injuries. Then hours later, officers found another man dead from a gunshot wound near The Plaza.
Those were the 38th and 39th homicides of the year, putting the Queen City on pace for a record year.
Police say they’ve made progress in some areas, including where one of the murders happened on Monday. Investigators say the area where Davis was killed, near the intersection of Hidden Valley Road and Sugar Creek, has had a decrease in violent crime this year.
These two latest murders come just over a week after an elderly man and woman were shot in a home. 71-year-old Santa Acevedo died from her injuries.
CMPD Police Chief Kerr Putney has called for a culture change.
“We’ve got to change that culture, we got to put the guns down and talk through our issues,” Chief Putney previously said.
Just four months into the year, there are fears the city is on track for a record year in homicides. Back in 1993, there were 129 homicides.
City Council Member Tariq Bokhari previously said the murders are senseless and avoidable.
"The things that are contributing to these stats aren't the way it has to be,” Councilman Bokhari previously said.
Police have not released any information about arrests in the latest murders. Both cases are ongoing and active investigations.