On February 11, 2024, Anthony Smith, a 26-year-old resident of Charlotte, North Carolina, was fatally shot outside a bowling alley on South Boulevard. The incident occurred around 1:00 a.m. during a Super Bowl Sunday celebration. Smith was attending a birthday party at the Bowlero bowling alley when an argument erupted over a missing pair of shoes. The confrontation escalated into a physical altercation in the parking lot, during which Smith was shot multiple times in front of his children.
He succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
Following an investigation, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police arrested 21-year-old Miguel Paredes on February 20, 2024, charging him with Smith's murder. Paredes was identified as the individual who fired the fatal shots after the dispute over the missing shoes turned violent. During his court appearance, prosecutors emphasized the senselessness of the killing, noting that a simple argument had tragically escalated to gun violence. The judge deemed Paredes a danger to the public and ordered him to be held without bond.
Authorities have also issued an arrest warrant for a second suspect, 22-year-old Sergio Axel Coelle-Perez, believed to have been involved in the incident. As of the latest reports, Coelle-Perez remains at large, and law enforcement continues to seek information regarding his whereabouts. The investigation remains active, with detectives urging anyone with information to come forward to aid in bringing all responsible parties to justice.
