Local
Huntersville church seeks youth intervention after reported gunfire and damage
Faith City Charlotte’s bishop says video shows roughly 300 to 400 young people at the church property Oct. 18, where shell casings and broken windows were later found. Police had not confirmed the reported gunfire, damage or crowd size as of Tuesday.
Faith City Charlotte is asking for community intervention after the church reported gunfire and property damage at its Huntersville site over the weekend, while emphasizing that its bishop does not want the young people involved simply locked up.
Bishop Amere May said at a news conference Tuesday, Oct. 20, that video from Saturday, Oct. 18, showed an estimated 300 to 400 young people on the property. He said some stood on signs and caused damage. May also reported finding shell casings and damaged windows, and alleged that guns, alcohol and marijuana were present.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police had not confirmed the church’s account or the number of people involved as of Tuesday. Church officials said Police Chief Estella Patterson and her staff were aware of the matter, and that Faith City was cooperating with law enforcement.
May said he did not believe the church had been specifically targeted, though he described this as the third alleged vandalism incident at the property. The church is considering installing an iron fence and has license-plate and facial-recognition technology, he said.
May called on parents to take responsibility and said he wanted some form of intervention for the young people rather than incarceration. Faith City is asking anyone with information, photographs or video to share them with authorities.