Reward increases but still no arrests in Juneteenth shooting in Charlotte, police say
Days before the two-year anniversary of the Juneteenth mass shooting on Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police on Friday again urged anyone with information to come forward.
Police still have made no arrests in connection with the shooting on June 22, 2020, that left four people dead and several others injured, CMPD Lt. Bryan Crum said during a news conference Friday morning. The FBI has added $30,000 in reward money for information that leads to an arrest, he said. The total amount of reward money is $47,300.
Three people — Christopher Gleaton, Dairyon Stevenson and Jamaa Cassell — were killed by gunfire during the Juneteenth celebration in west Charlotte, The Charlotte Observer previously reported. Kelly Miller was fatally struck by a car as the shooting started, and at least 10 others were injured.
A night of remembrance is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 22, at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. It will be hosted by the Million Youth March of Charlotte and Salisbury, an anti-gun violence organization.
CMPD says they have continually investigated the case, however the lead detective has changed three times.
“We’re not gonna stop,” Crum said. “We’re gonna keep doing things to shake the bushes, so to speak, and hopefully encourage our community members to step up and do the right thing.”
Police have received some tips, they have said, but not enough to make an arrest. There were approximately 400 people at the block party where the shooting occurred, but some say mistrust in the police may be to blame for a lack of witnesses coming forward.
Families of the victims recently spoke with the Observer and expressed frustration with what they say is a lack of communication from police.
“It’s disheartening,” Kenny Stevenson, Dairyon’s father, told the Observer. “I’m thinking that they’re doing their due diligence to make sure they actually nail the guy. But you know, it’s kind of bothersome when you don’t hear anything at all.”
Crum on Friday said it is difficult to share information with the families without compromising the investigation.
“I understand their frustration because as we work internally and we do all these things, we can’t really share the details of what we’ve done in the case with them,” he said.
Police are still trying to see “the overall picture” from that night, but it is beginning to come together, Crum said.
“We’ve made progress,” he said. “We have made arrests that are not directly associated with this event, but of individuals that we need to talk to.”
Anyone with information on the mass shooting is urged to call the FBI Charlotte at 704-672-6100 or Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600. Tips can be given anonymously.
This story was originally published June 17, 2022 at 11:26 AM.
