‘Like a gunfight in the parking lot.’ 911 calls detail reactions to deadly gunfight

Police released 911 calls in connection to the death of a mother who was caught in the crossfire of a shootout Thursday.

Three people were arrested in connection with a shooting that killed a 27-year-old mother of two in north Charlotte Thursday evening.

Police say the woman killed, Kendal Ryan Crank, was driving on 28th Street near North Tryon Street around 5:15 p.m. when she was caught in the crossfire of people shooting.

Police say witnesses reported several males shooting at each other near the intersection at the time of the shooting. Crank’s car rolled to a stop and whoever was shooting left the scene.

In one of the 911 calls, a caller says she was stuck in traffic when she heard five or six shots and saw a man kneeling down behind a car shooting at another person.

“It was like a gunfight in the parking lot. Somebody was shooting at him and he was shooting back in this parking lot,” the caller said.

Another 911 caller said she was driving when she heard multiple gunshots and says something flew through her window.

“Something flew in my car, I don’t know what it was but something definitely flew in my window and I looked back and it was about to shatter,” the caller said.

Other 911 callers were frantic in reporting that someone had just been shot.

During a CMPD press conference, police confirmed three people had been arrested. Seventeen-year-old Adonis Smith, 22-year-old Tychicus Dobie and 24-year-old Marquis Smith are all charged with murder in Crank’s death.

Crank was the niece of a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer. Her step-father and brother describe her as a flower and a wonderful mother. They say they want her to know “she is loved and her two kids will be well taken care of.”

Crank, who family says was a graduate of Independence High School and was studying to become a nurse, leaves behind a 9-year-old and a 3-year-old, Lamaya and Kyrie.

This story was originally published April 1, 2019 at 12:24 PM.