CHARLOTTE, NC – D’Angelo De’Mara McNeil, 34, a Charlotte resident facing federal charges, appeared in federal court Tuesday, accused of shooting at children in 2022. He faces the charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon as per the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
The episode occurred on June 2, 2022, when the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) was called in response to reports of a man shooting at children at an apartment complex. The informant identified the suspect as McNeil, who had reportedly fled the scene.
CMPD officers apprehended McNeil found in his parked vehicle nearby. A subsequent search revealed a handgun hidden under the front passenger seat. The district attorney’s office indicated that the weapon’s magazine was empty, with the exception of one round chambered.
Eyewitness accounts reveal a chilling scenario. Court records reveal that one witness was approached by the young boys claiming to be pursued by McNeil, who was armed. Briefly afterward, the witness observed McNeil chasing the children, heard two successive gunshots, and noted that McNeil pocketed the firearm before departing the scene.
A second witness confirmed that two children sought her assistance to seek refuge in the leasing office as they were being chased by an armed individual. The children were confirmed to be the same ones from the initial account.
McNeil remains in federal custody and, if convicted, may face up to 15 years in prison.