Charles Anthony Thompson, a 49-year-old African American man, was shot and killed on November 17, 2015, in Gastonia, North Carolina. Police were called about 4:30 PM to the 300 block of Allison Avenue, where officers found Thompson unresponsive from a gunshot wound; he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators treated the shooting as a targeted attack rather than a random act. Two men were arrested shortly after the incident: 51-year-old Anthony Anton Sanders was charged with first-degree murder, and 30-year-old Travis Antonio Davis was charged with accessory to first-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a felon. The motive had not been made clear while authorities continued to gather evidence and interview witnesses.

Family and friends held memorial services and the community responded to the loss.