Tepper's Tantrum Gets More Attention than New Year's Eve Shooting
Plus: Sharing some of our favorite stories of 2023; Tepper Discourse; News Briefs
What’s New in Charlotte?
Tracking Vehicle-Related Deaths on Charlotte Streets in 2023 (Queen City Nerve)
After New Year's Eve shooting uptown, some Charlotte City Council members want to focus on crime (WFAE)
Where to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Charlotte (QCity Metro)
Charlotte Kicked Off 2024 With Terror
In the last half hour of 2023, a man shot five people in Romare Bearden Park during New Year’s Eve celebrations. As thousands of Charlotteans and visitors were celebrating in Third Ward, the 19-year-old allegedly shot four women and one man below the knees, meaning none of the injuries were life-threatening.
The shots were audible across Uptown and beyond. The suspect was quickly apprehended and had not attempted to continue the mass shooting.
The suspect has since had a bail hearing, with the judge supervising the hearing, Matt Newton, doubling his bond to $1.5 million.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Republican Charlotte city council member Tariq Bokhari suggested starting a crime task force, and Mayor Vi Lyles released a statement:
The New Year's Eve shooting at Romare Bearden Park was horrific and is evident of the continued focus we must have on addressing public safety. My prayers are with the five victims, and I deeply wish for their rapid and full recovery. The trauma inflicted by such incidents is immeasurable and should never be experienced by anyone.
With the rise of youth gun violence as a national concern, it is increasingly clear that creating a safe, gun-violence-free environment is a collective responsibility we all must share within our own community. The well-being of our residents and visitors remains our utmost priority, and we are committed to ensuring our city is a safe place for everyone to enjoy.
Unfortunately, mass shootings stayed in the news this week, with the first school shooting of the year in Perry, IA.
The other big New Year’s Eve Story in Charlotte
Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC owner David Tepper was fined $300,000 by the NFL for throwing a drink on a Jacksonville Jaguars fan during the Panthers’ 0-26 loss in Florida. Tepper Sports & Entertainment has not yet responded to an interview request from Y’all Weekly’s Soccer Sheet.
As a reflection of where society’s priorities are these days, there are numerous think pieces about the billionaire’s beverage, and very few about the bullets at Bearden Park.
A sample:
Panthers fans started a petition to remove David Tepper as owner. Can the NFL fire him?
Charlotte city councilman sees David Tepper drink toss as a glass half full
Tepper issued a non-apology apology, saying via a statement, "I am deeply passionate about this team and regret my behavior on Sunday. I should have let NFL stadium security handle any issues that arose. I respect the NFL's code of conduct and accept the League's discipline for my behavior."
If the Carolina Panthers lose their final game of the season on sunday against Tampa Bay, they will end the season with their second-worst record ever (2-15), nearly eclipsing their 1-15 record in 2001.
More after the break …
ICYMI: Some of Our Favorite Writing from 2023
Throughout January, we’ll share some of our favorite Y’all Weekly Pieces from 2023:
Reporting While Black by Deja Mayfield
On the Camino by Amy Eagleburger
A Series of Fortunate Events by Matt at the Movies
New Years Resolution: Write For Y’all!
We take submissions on any topics about food, art, culture, and society in the South. If you’d like to see your work in Y’all, e-mail sam@yallweekly.com.
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If you’re interested in being a banner sponsor of one or multiple Y’all Weekly newsletters, let’s chat! You can reach thousands of subscribers in Charlotte and the Carolinas for a much lower price than you think. E-mail sam@yallweekly.com for more details (and so we can force him to finalize his pitch deck).