CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Mecklenburg County’s top prosecutor said Wednesday that addressing violent crime by repeat offenders remains a priority as new statistics show a troubling spike in homicides in Charlotte’s Uptown area.
District Attorney Spencer Merriweather said new state laws that took effect recently provide prosecutors with stronger tools to combat crime, particularly offenses involving firearms by convicted felons.
The emphasis comes after Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Estella Patterson reported that violent crime in the city’s Central Division increased 15%. Police data shows 10 homicides have occurred in the center city this year compared to four during the same period last year…