Gavino Miguel Romero, a 19-year-old male, was tragically shot and killed on May 12, 2018, in northeast Charlotte, North Carolina. The incident occurred around 12:30 p.m. when suspects fired into the vehicle he was in while it was located in the 4600 block of Perth Court. The vehicle subsequently crashed into the porch of a home in the apartment complex when the driver lost control.
Another victim inside the vehicle sustained non-life-threatening gunshot wounds and was transported to Carolinas Medical Center for treatment, while a third person in the car remained uninjured.
Following the crash, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officers obtained information that the suspects responsible for the homicide were in a home on nearby Lanecrest Drive. Officers established a perimeter around the home and deployed CMPD’s SWAT team and negotiators. After a brief standoff, suspects Primitivo Jonathan Carreto, 19; Chadwick Jerome Pearson, 19; and a 15-year-old male surrendered and were taken into custody. By Sunday morning, CMPD had located a second 15-year-old suspect.
Primitivo Jonathan Carreto and Chadwick Jerome Pearson were both charged with murder, conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, and attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon. Pearson faced additional charges, including shooting into occupied property, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury. Both of the 15-year-old juveniles, who have not been identified due to their age, were charged with murder, conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, and attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon.
The investigation into the motive behind the shooting revealed that the suspects had targeted the vehicle Romero was in, although the exact reason for the targeting remains unclear. The case highlighted the issue of teen violence in the area, prompting community leaders and organizations to address the underlying causes and provide support to at-risk youth. The Genesis Project and The Council of Elders are among the organizations working to stem the wave of teen violence through counseling, mental health evaluation, and outreach programs aimed at helping teenagers make better choices and avoid a life of crime.
