CMPD: Increase In Gun Seizures In 2022

Brittney Melton,

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department announced Wednesday a major increase in gun seizures compared to 2021.

According to the police department, there have been 496 guns seized by officers this year, a 14% increase from this time in 2021. This comes as overall gunshot cases are up by 10% in 2022 from the previous year.

The University City Division has led in gun seizures among all CMPD divisions with 77 this year, a 67% increase from this time in 2021 and a 129% increase over the 5-year average.

According to CMPD, examples of recent investigations in the University City Division leading to firearms being seized include:

  • On February 27, patrol officers responded to a shooting into an occupied building on Prestigious Lane in northeast Charlotte. A mother told officers that a bullet nearly hit her son. Officers determined that the bullet was fired from a surrounding apartment. Officers obtained a search warrant and found four firearms, ammunition, and a large number of narcotics.
  • On February 15, officers responded to a domestic violence call for service for a Dave McKinney Avenue location in northeast Charlotte. A suspect had pointed a gun at other people in the residence. Officers successfully de-escalated a barricade situation with the suspect and took him into custody. Two guns were seized including one stolen gun, along with a trafficking amount of heroin.

Recently, the police department has responded to several online threats involving juveniles with firearms. The Education Outreach and Youth Services Division works closely with school resource officers and patrol officers to thoroughly investigate these threats.

According to CMPD, exampled of recent investigations involving firearm seizures with juveniles include:

  • On February 27, officers in the Westover Division were alerted to threats to Myers Park High School. Officers responded to the suspect’s address on Mockingbird Lane in south Charlotte. They made contact with the suspect’s mother and advised her of the threats. The mother gave permission for officers to search the suspect’s room. Officers located a handgun and a binder of narcotics. A juvenile arrest was made and the suspect was charged with communicating threats, as well as weapon and drug violations.
  • On February 1, a school resource officer at Albemarle Middle School was advised of students posing with guns on Instagram. The officer discovered several of the guns were BB guns, but that one was real. The officer tracked down the individual with the real gun who is a juvenile at another school. The officer responded to the suspect’s resident and got permission to search for a weapon. With help from the family, he found the handgun.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg officers are continuing their work to eliminate guns used in crimes and get them out of the hands of dangerous individuals.

In addition, the police department is advising individuals to not leave firearms in their vehicles, especially if those vehicles are left unlocked. This is apart of the safe and responsible gun-ownership police are encouraging.

Anyone with information on a gun-related crime is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or http://charlottecrimestoppers.com/.