Eric Brandon Howell, a 29-year-old African American male, tragically lost his life on July 25, 2021, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Howell was found with gunshot wounds near Deep Rock Circle and was immediately rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Howell's death was initially classified as a homicide, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department launched an investigation into the incident.
Howell was a former college basketball player who had played for Livingstone
College in Salisbury, North Carolina. Despite the initial classification of his death as a murder, the investigation concluded without any charges being filed. On September 9, 2021, the Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office, in consultation with the CMPD homicide unit, decided not to pursue charges in Howell's case. The decision was based on the evidence and circumstances surrounding the shooting, which led prosecutors to determine that the case would not go to trial.
The lack of charges and the decision not to proceed with a trial left many questions unanswered about the circumstances of Howell's death. The community and Howell's family were left to grapple with the loss and the unresolved nature of the case. Howell's passing was a significant loss to those who knew him, and his memory continues to be honored by friends and family.
