Four Teenagers Charged in Killing of 4-Year-Old in Charlotte
Arrests made in shooting that killed a child and injured a woman, as police identify five suspects.
Four teenagers have been arrested and charged with murder in connection with the death of a four-year-old boy who was shot in his sleep. The shooting occurred on September 20, when seven armed individuals reportedly emerged from two stolen vehicles and fired 84 bullets into four occupied homes on a residential street in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Four-year-old Caleb Flax was struck in the head by a bullet and died hours later at a hospital. An adult woman, Kaley Collins, was also critically injured but survived the incident. Nine other adults and five children were in the homes at the time but were unharmed, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD).
The CMPD announced the arrests of four teenagers on charges including murder, conspiracy, and possession of a stolen vehicle. A fifth individual, a 22-year-old man, was arrested and charged as an accessory after the fact for allegedly aiding in the disposal of one of the stolen vehicles. The teenage suspects, identified as Ar’montae Johnson, 16, Jaylen Barber, 16, Antonio Ladson, 17, and Ian Garland, 17, are being prosecuted as adults. The adult suspect is Terrance Jackson, 22.
"Caleb should have been safe in his own bed. Instead, his life was ended in an act of unthinkable violence, and another victim was wounded," CMPD Chief of Police Estella D. Patterson stated. "From the moment this investigation began, our detectives have been relentless in their pursuit of justice for the victims and their families."
Investigation details from arrest affidavits indicate that police located one of the stolen vehicles, a Mercedes-Benz, the morning after the shooting and found a handgun magazine inside. GPS data from the car's infotainment system confirmed its presence at the shooting location. Further analysis linked an iPhone connected to the vehicle to Ar’montae Johnson. GPS data from Johnson's phone placed him at the location where both the Mercedes-Benz and a stolen 2018 Infiniti were taken.
During an interview, Johnson allegedly stated he drove the stolen Mercedes to an Airbnb party on the night of the shooting. He claimed he encountered individuals at the party who expressed a desire to retaliate for a previous shooting and that he provided them with the keys to the Mercedes, aware they were armed. Johnson also reportedly said that the group returned from the shooting in a Jeep driven by Antonio Ladson, having ditched the stolen vehicles.
Police arrested Ladson on September 25. A search of his home uncovered a Glock 27 firearm in the attic containing ammunition matching some found at the crime scene.
Phone records revealed a text exchange between Johnson and Jaylen Barber on the night of the shooting. Barber, arrested on September 29, allegedly admitted to leaving the Airbnb party in the stolen Infiniti and participating in the shooting. Both Barber and Johnson reportedly identified Ian Garland as the driver of the stolen Mercedes during the incident. Garland was arrested on September 30.
Surveillance footage reportedly corroborated the accounts provided by the teenage suspects. Terrance Jackson, arrested on September 29, is accused of helping Johnson reprogram a key for the stolen Infiniti and arranging its sale for $1,200, with the proceeds allegedly split between them. Jackson has prior arrests for stolen vehicle offenses.
The CMPD described the investigation as active and ongoing, with efforts continuing to identify and apprehend any remaining individuals involved in the incident.