Suspect arrested in shooting death of a Charlotte teen. He’s 14, police say.
A Charlotte teenager with a history of being a good Samaritan was shot and killed Tuesday morning north of uptown.
On Friday, police announced the arrest of 17-year-old William “Tre” Avery’s suspected killer. He’s 14.
The juvenile, who was taken into custody Thursday, was not identified. He has been charged with first-degree murder and is being held in a juvenile correctional facility in Cabarrus County, according to a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department news release. Police used its K-9 unit and a helicopter to find him.
CMPD asks that anyone with information about the shooting to call 704-432-TIPS (8477) and speak with a homicide detective. The public can also leave information anonymously by contacting Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or charlottecrimestoppers.com/.
Avery becomes the third Charlotte-Mecklenburg juvenile (age 17 and below) to die from gun violence in 2022, according to CMPD data. This year, there have been 19 homicides overall; the majority of them shooting. In 2021, at least 11 juveniles were fatally shot.
According to a CMPD report, Avery was shot multiple times at around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday on Franklin Avenue in north Charlotte. He died in a hospital about three hours later.
In December 2019, Avery — then a 15-year-old Myers Park High student — was hospitalized after he was beaten with a baseball bat while attempting to stop a domestic assault on a woman, according to Facebook posts at the time by his father, Will Davis. A police report said a woman and two 15-year-old males were injured, which took place at a Marsh Road apartment complex.
This week, Davis who often referred to his son as “Lil Dude,” used his Facebook page to announce his son’s death.
“After this day u will see a change in me,” Davis began in a post that has since been removed. “... (S)omeone shot and killed my son.”
The killing is the latest act of gun violence involving shooters or victims of shockingly early ages.
▪ On Dec. 27, a CMPD officer was wounded by a 14-year-old robbery suspect.
▪ On Feb. 20, a 15-year-old died two days after being shot in north Charlotte. An arrest has not been made.
▪ On March 2, CMPD charged a juvenile with the murder of 19-year-old Raquan Smith.
▪ On March 15 in Charlotte, a 14-year-old was shot and killed. No arrests have occurred.
This story was originally published April 1, 2022 at 5:27 PM.
