In the early morning hours of September 13, 2026, the life of 17-year-old Cameron Massey-Brice was tragically cut short in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was visiting a relative's home on Kittansett Drive in the University City area when gunfire erupted around 3 a.m. Cameron was found with multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. His family remembers him as a quiet, respectful, and kind young man with a bright future ahead of him. His father, Robert Brice, described him as "cool, calm and collected" and is left to grapple with the sudden and violent loss of his son, stating he thought he had more time. In the wake of the shooting, Cameron's family made the difficult decision to forgo a public vigil, citing concerns about the potential for further gun violence.
The investigation into Cameron's death quickly led to a suspect. Witnesses at the scene told detectives that Cameron had been with a group of people, including a man they knew as "Evin". According to an affidavit, witnesses reported that the suspect said to Cameron, "we have smoke," before firing four shots at him. The gunman then fled the scene in a silver Ford F-150. Police soon identified the suspect as 21-year-old Evin Quarles. In a significant development, detectives obtained a third-party confession in which Quarles admitted to the shooting. He later turned himself in to the authorities.
Evin Quarles, who is the son of Huntersville Town Commissioner Edwin Quarles, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with Cameron Massey-Brice's death. He appeared in court and was denied bond, and is currently being held in the Mecklenburg County jail. A Mecklenburg County jury has since indicted him on the charge of first-degree murder, moving the case to the Superior Court. In a statement, Commissioner Quarles expressed deep concern for all parties involved, acknowledging the tragic loss of life and the profound impact on all families affected. The case has brought to light the issue of gun violence in the community and has left a family mourning the loss of a young life full of promise. The investigation also revealed that another man, 22-year-old Jacori Mitchell, was also fatally shot in the same incident. A different individual, Joseph Sings Jr., has been charged with murder in Mitchell's death. As the legal process against Evin Quarles continues, the family of Cameron Massey-Brice is left to navigate their grief and the painful reality of a future without their son.
