CMPD Cracks Some Heads - Saying Enough Foolishness!

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officials say they are cracking down on groups recklessly riding bikes and motorized vehicles and causing "havoc on the streets of Charlotte."

On Sunday, the department says teams of officers across multiple divisions conducted a roundup to show a large presence in areas frequented by the groups. Often riding in groups of five to 30 people, the riders have been accused of causing harm to and endangering both drivers and pedestrians.

Most of the incidents have happened in Uptown, but similar reports have been made across the city, police said. 

The following is from CMPD's tweeter feed:

This morning Charlotte Mecklenburg Polices Department is providing case updates and recent enforcement of groups of individuals riding bikes and motorized vehicles recklessly in Charlotte.

On Sunday, April 17, 2022, Central Division officers responded to an assault with a deadly weapon call for service involving kids with bicycles. Cell phone footage shows the victim and suspects in a physical altercation. 

Two suspects were armed. One suspect punched the victim in the back of the head and later fired bullets into the victim's car. The suspects’ names are Jermaine Walker Jr. and Makahi Alfayad - who's accused of pulling the trigger. Both suspects were arrested & charged. 

Jermaine Walker Jr Photo Courtesy MCSO

Makahi Alfayad Photo Courtesy MCSO

A bullet lodged in the victim’s spine. He will likely be paralyzed for life. This is still an active investigation.

On Sunday, April 24, 2022, teams of officers across several divisions took part in a round-up, showing a large presence in areas where these bike groups frequent.

The focus of this operation plan was to focus on aggressive bike riders (bicycles, dirt bikes, and ATVs). The group has been endangering motorists and pedestrians throughout Charlotte. The group often rides in groups of 5-30 in various locations around the city.

Officers seized a total of two ATVs and two dirt bikes. Additionally, North Tryon Division, officers observed several subjects storing ATVs and dirt bikes in the shed behind a home and conducted a knock and talk.

One rider was identified as Joe Colombo Nguyen. (DOB 10/09/1997). Nguyen threw an unlit Molotov cocktail at officers and led them on a high speed pursuit, attempting to make the officers crash. 

Joe Colombo Nguyen Photo Courtesy MCSO

This issue is one that the Department takes *very* seriously. Officers are taking both proactive & reactive measures, taking dangerous offenders off the streets so they can no longer cause havoc on the streets of Charlotte.

CMPD also provided that Christopher Rivera, 20, was charged with felony fleeing to elude, and Marquis Massey, 23, was charged with felony fleeing, resisting an officer and reckless driving by CMPD officers on Sunday, according to authorities. 

Christopher Rivera Photo Courtesy MCSO

Marquis Massey Photo Courtesy MCSO

Police also arrested four underage teens and charged them with reckless driving last week after officers say they saw them riding scooters the wrong way and swerving in and out of traffic on North Tryon Street. One of the suspects was also charged with assault after allegedly pointing a realistic-looking airsoft gun at an upset driver, police said in a news release. 

The teens' parents were also cited in connection with contributing to delinquency and neglect.

Interesting to note that Jermaine Walker Jr. was arrested on April 19, at 9:36 PM and released at 1:22 AM and Makahi Alfayad the shooter was arrested on April 21 at 10:41 AM and released the next day at 3:56 AM. His victim remains hospitalized.

But not everyone is happy with CMPD's effort to make Charlotte's streets safer:

Ryan Pitkin with Queen City Nerve tweeted: 

"So basically police used an example of a time when someone on a bike shot someone in a car, a child on a scooter flashed an Airsoft gun, and someone on a dirt bike used a Molotov cocktail to say at the end, yes, we are going to criminalize wheelies"

It didn't take long for Pikin's effort to get 20 plus likes and some flack.." 

"For all the good coming out of QCN, the founders continue to display a fair level of douchery. Making light of a victim with a bullet in his spine; a perp firing into a vehicle; a perp caught with kilos of marijuana and fentanyl. Oh, CMPD did seize a few bikes and ATVs" - Tweeted Johnnyx17x.,

Where did I “make light” of a shooting? Point that part out to me, Johnny. I’ll wait. What I said is they’re using one thing as an excuse to do a wholly unrelated thing: making a tragic shooting into a reason to seize bikes from kids who do wheelies in Uptown." Retorted Pitkin.

Then he doubles down:

Hah, I've met a lot of these kids. They're no gang members. Not even close. Keep believing what the police want you to believe, though. They've never had any reason to lie to the public.

CP's Take: Yeah they look like fine young gentlemen to me SMDH. 

But you tell me, just kids as Pitkin says or felons heading for a life of crime and eventual sudden violent end to their lives?

Cedar Update: Nguyen was released by MCSO Wednesday night after a court hearing on the 11 charges he is facing. 

Yesterday afternoon Jermaine Walker was re-arrested and processed on the additional charges of AWDWIKISI and DISCHARGING FIREARM INTO OCCUPIED PROPERTY. He'll have a bond hearing later this afternoon.