Charges dropped against volunteer football coach accused of shooting into house
Charges against a former Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools volunteer football coach accused of firing into a Charlotte woman’s home were dismissed in court Tuesday, according to records.
Dia’Mond Tyrie Johnson, 27, had two discharging weapons into occupied property charges dropped in Mecklenburg County Superior Court because of insufficient evidence, records said.
There wasn’t enough evidence to prove he was a shooter or the person who fired the shot that went into the woman’s home, records said.
“An individual detectives believed had information regarding the defendant being in possession of a firearm was not cooperative with detectives,” the record said. “The defendant elected not to speak with the lead investigator in this case without his attorney. There were no other witnesses to the shooting and no surveillance footage to determine what happened.”
Johnson, of Clover, S.C., was arrested in South Carolina Oct. 22 after he was accused of firing into a home on Doughton Lane on Oct. 21 while three people were inside. The home was shot at twice, a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police affidavit said.
The shooting occurred shortly after Johnson got in an argument with the woman who lived in that home, the affidavit said. She called police after he became upset about people she had over. Text messages showed the woman telling Johnson two men with her were threatening to shoot him, and Johnson texting her back saying, “tell em to pull back up so we can have fun.”
Johnson was extradited to Charlotte on Oct. 24, said his attorney, John J. Dowling III. Mecklenburg County court records show Johnson was released after posting a $20,000 bond.
In a previous interview, Dowling said evidence showed Johnson was actually the victim of attempted first-degree murder.
Police collected two types of firearm casings at the scene, .223 rifle shell cases and 9 mm cartridge cases, indicating two shooters, court records said. Police were unable to identify who the second shooter was.
Johnson was a volunteer football coach at Ballantyne Ridge High School. Principal Michael Miliote said Johnson would not be allowed to volunteer at any schools in the district anymore.
