On January 13, 2023, at approximately 10:30 a.m., 21-year-old Deandre McKye Hagler was fatally shot in Charlotte, North Carolina. The incident occurred on Citiside Drive, near Eastway Drive and The Plaza. Emergency responders found Hagler inside a vehicle with a gunshot wound and pronounced him dead at the scene.
In the immediate aftermath, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police arrested 19-year-old Treyvon Young, charging him with murder and discharging a firearm into an occupied moving
vehicle. At the time of the shooting, Young was on probation and wearing an electronic monitoring device. Subsequently, on February 9, 2023, authorities arrested a second suspect, 19-year-old Kishawn Vernon Lee-Grier, who faced similar charges in connection with Hagler's death.
However, on September 1, 2023, the District Attorney's Office dismissed the murder charges against both Young and Lee-Grier, citing insufficient evidence to proceed with prosecution. The use of masks and gloves by the perpetrators likely hindered positive identification, and despite video footage of the incident, the inability to clearly identify the suspects led to the dismissal of charges.
Deandre Hagler was remembered as a vibrant individual with an infectious smile. Born on December 20, 2001, in Charlotte, he graduated from North Mecklenburg High School in June 2020. He had aspirations of attending barber school and was known for his love of basketball, often playing at local YMCAs and outdoor courts. His untimely death left a profound impact on his family, friends, and the Charlotte community.
