Man charged in fatal west Charlotte shooting that began as drug deal gone bad

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police have made an arrest in the case of a man who was fatally shot during a failed drug deal at a west Charlotte gas station last week.

Lex Chisholm, 24, of Chester, S.C., faces charges of murder and armed robbery with a dangerous weapon in the death of 37-year-old Cornelius Drayton. He died from his injuries on Thursday, and is Charlotte’s 42nd homicide victim of the year.

Police said Chisholm and Drayton knew each other.

The shooting began June 9 when people in two cars met at an Exxon Station at 3215 Queen City Drive for a drug deal. Police said an altercation happened during the sale, and shots were fired, before both cars drove toward Interstate 85.

On the interstate, one car was involved in a wreck and drove away, police said.

The car Drayton was in drove to Gaston County, and Drayton was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. Another victim from Drayton’s car also sustained life-threatening injuries. Police have not provided an update on the victim’s condition.

Police did not identified other possible suspects in the shooting.

This story was originally published June 17, 2017 at 1:14 PM with the headline "Man charged in fatal west Charlotte shooting that began as drug deal gone bad."