Four Teens Charged in Fatal Shooting of 4-Year-Old in Charlotte Home
A 4-year-old boy was killed while sleeping in his Charlotte house, and four teenagers have been arrested and charged in connection with the attack.
Caleb Flax, a four-year-old who had just started school, was fatally shot while asleep in his Charlotte, North Carolina home on the early hours of Sept. 20. Investigators linked the attack to a gang of seven armed suspects traveling in a stolen Mercedes and a stolen Infiniti, who fired roughly 84 rounds into Flax’s house and three other nearby residences. The police recovered a handgun magazine and a Glock 27 that matched evidence from the scene.
Four teenagers - Ar’montae Johnson (16), Antonio Ladson (17), Jaylen Barber (16) and Ian Garland (17) - have been arrested and charged with shooting into an occupied dwelling, attempted murder and conspiracy. An adult, Terrance Jackson (22), faces an accessory-after-the-fact charge for helping reprogram a key for the Infiniti. The investigation remains ongoing, and the community has held vigils and fundraisers for the Flax family.
Why it matters
The case highlights a shocking act of gun violence against a child and raises concerns about youth involvement in armed crime.
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