Justin Westbrook Carlton, 38, was driving through northwest Charlotte on the afternoon of Thursday, October 23, 2025, when gunfire erupted near the intersection of Hoskins Road and Black Avenue. Officers arrived around 4 p.m. to find Carlton and another man, 34-year-old Shabazz Mesiah Grant, suffering from gunshot wounds. Both were rushed to the hospital, where Carlton died from his injuries shortly afterward.
Police publicly identified him the next day, notifying his family and confirming his age and name.
Detectives quickly connected the shooting to a broader crime spree that unfolded across west Charlotte. Investigators say the gunman, identified as 28-year-old Joseph Andrade, forced his way into a nearby home, kidnapped a woman, and fled in her vehicle, triggering a high-speed pursuit. The rampage ended in a confrontation with officers, during which Andrade was shot and killed. State authorities opened a separate inquiry into the officer-involved shooting, while Charlotte-Mecklenburg police continued the homicide investigation.
In the days that followed, the second victim, Grant, also died of his injuries, deepening the tragedy that began with the attack that killed Carlton. Community outlets and memorial pages marked Carlton’s death and confirmed the date and location, while funeral notices listed services in Charlotte the following week. With the suspected gunman deceased, police have not announced any arrests, but they have named Andrade as the person responsible for Carlton’s killing.
