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James Hardrick Sr. was still grieving the loss of his 17-year-old son to a shooting last December, when he got a call early Sunday.
It was his nephew - with more bad news.
James Demarel Hardrick II, 19, James Sr.'s second-oldest of four sons, had been shot. Twenty minutes later, as James Sr. drove to the shooting scene, a McDonald's restaurant on Freedom Drive, his nephew called again.
"He said my son was gone," James Sr., who installs office furniture, said Sunday evening. "My mind just went blank. I'd been dealing with the loss of my other son all this time. And now this. I don't know how we'll get through it."
Last Dec. 11, Hardrick's third-oldest son, Marquiese Thompson, was found shot in the head, lying in the middle of Westridge and Weststone drives, off Freedom Drive. Thompson, a student at Harding High, was taken to Carolinas Medical Center in critical condition. He died the next day.
That case is still under investigation. Police have made no arrests.
Hardrick thought he'd found some peace with that loss, but now a second murdered son has shaken his family's world.
He said James II, who worked third shift at a warehouse, lived with him. James Sr. returned from out of town Saturday about 8 p.m., and found James II, another son and a nephew and his girlfriend playing video games.
"I made general conversation, but I was tired and went to bed," Hardrick said.
He got the latest bad news about 2:15 a.m.
James II had gotten into a dispute with another man about 1:30 a.m., and was found shot in his car. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police say James II and the other man knew each other and had been in an "ongoing dispute."
Police have told Hardrick little about the incident. He said he doesn't know who shot his son, but doesn't think the two had a long-standing dispute.
Sunday evening, family gathered at Hardrick's home.
"The family's trying to pull together," he said. "We've got friends and family here - trying to give each other support."
Police say they have located a white SUV they were looking for in connection with the shooting. They have not released a suspect description. Anyone with information is asked to call 704-432-TIPS to speak with a homicide detective. Or call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.
Editor's note: Comments have been removed from this story because of multiple abuse reports.
