On the evening of March 19, 2023, at about 9:30 p.m., Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police responded to reports of an assault with a deadly weapon in the 4400 block of The Plaza in east Charlotte. Officers found two people with apparent gunshot wounds: 21-year-old Michael Anthony Brown Jr. and 16-year-old Jareese Raivon Florybert. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Preliminary investigation indicates the shooting happened during an altercation in a parking lot at the Citiside Shoppes near Eastway Drive and The Plaza. Witnesses told police a dispute escalated into gunfire. Detectives processed the scene, collected evidence and interviewed potential witnesses. In the days after the shooting, CMPD arrested a 16-year-old juvenile, charged with murder and shooting into an occupied vehicle; the juvenile’s name was withheld because of age.

The killings prompted grief and calls from family and residents for an end to gun violence, while community leaders urged collaborative efforts to address underlying causes. If anyone witnessed the altercation or has information that could clarify what led to the shooting, please share what is known.