DailyKenn.com
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A 16-year-old has been arrested in connection with the shooting deaths of Colby Cash Smith, 18, and Gabriel Jacob Lee, 27, in Uptown Charlotte earlier this month.
Officers responded around 1:30 a.m. on July 5 to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon. Upon arrival, they located two individuals suffering from gunshot wounds. One victim was pronounced dead at the scene; the other was transported to a hospital in life-threatening condition. A third individual later arrived at a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Smith and Lee were later confirmed as the deceased.
The suspect is presumed to be a person of African descent due to the nature of the crime and its location.
Smith was white. Lee was black.
Police have not released any information about a possible motive or how the shooting unfolded. The department’s Homicide Unit is leading the active investigation. Authorities are encouraging anyone with information to contact police or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers.
The identity of the third person injured has not been disclosed.
Colby Cash Smith was a recent graduate of South Point High School in Belmont, N.C., and worked as a sous chef at Marelli’s Italian Restaurant. He aspired to a career in the culinary arts. Smith died on July 7. A celebration of life was scheduled for July 12 at City Church in Gastonia, with visitation and burial to follow. His former colleagues are organizing a memorial tree fund in his honor.
Friends and classmates gathered at a vigil at South Point High to remember Smith as an energetic and passionate young man who loved playing street basketball and had a bright future ahead of him.
Lee’s family, who traveled from Georgia after the shooting, described the scene as chaotic and violent, with gunfire striking nearby vehicles. They urged local officials to improve public safety and called on the community to assist investigators.
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