Crime & Public Safety
Student Allegedly Held at Gunpoint During Carjacking on UNC Charlotte Campus
An alleged gunpoint carjacking occurred on the UNC Charlotte campus on Sept. 12, where a sophomore student was reportedly forced from her vehicle, Charlotte-Mecklenburg investigators say. Authorities say an 18-year-old man is now in custody in connection with the campus robbery. The victim’s mother was on a FaceTime call with her daughter and witnessed part of the attack, then contacted emergency services when the call disconnected.
Police allege the suspect held a firearm to the student’s head during the incident before fleeing the campus. Four days after the reported carjacking, officers say the same suspect was involved in a pursuit that began on Graham Street and concluded in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where he was taken into custody following another alleged carjacking.
The investigation attributes the arrest to the post-incident pursuit that led out of the Charlotte area. The victim’s mother described hearing her daughter gasp, then seeing an arm and the suspect grabbing her; the call dropped and she immediately called 911, according to the account provided to police. The family reports the student has returned to classes while receiving counseling for the emotional effects of the attack.
At this time police have the suspect in custody and investigations remain active. Allegations in this report are those documented by law enforcement; criminal charges and prosecutorial outcomes have not been detailed in the material provided.
All individuals accused of a crime are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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All individuals mentioned in criminal allegations are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.