DA will not charge four CMPD officers in deadly Charlotte shootout
The state will not charge four Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers who fatally shot a 28-year-old man while trying to serve warrants in northeast Charlotte on March 7, according to District Attorney Spencer Merriweather.
Merriweather published the findings of his review of the shooting, saying the officers — Austin Bartlow, Charles Lineberger, Jonathan Nicholas, and Michael Wilson Jr. — were protecting themselves from Reggie Allen Knight.
Knight fired at the officers first, shooting Lineberger in the belt and Wilson in the left thigh. While their injuries were not life-threatening, they were justifiable in shooting back because of the threat of death, Merriweather said.
The shooting happened at a home in the 12000 block of Headquarters Farm Road.
Knight’s warrants included firearm charges, two counts of assault on a female, assault with a deadly weapon, and assault by strangulation. He also had pending charges for driving on a revoked licensed and driving impaired in Iredell County.
Merriweather’s office reviewed video evidence, 911 calls and interviews with the officers.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly explained the district attorney’s role in reviewing evidence, and the story has been updated.
This story was originally published August 11, 2025 at 4:39 PM.
