Five charged in Charlotte drive-by shooting that killed 4-year-old boy
Four teenagers and one adult face charges after a drive-by shooting killed four-year-old Caleb Flax in his Charlotte, North Carolina home on September 20. Court documents show suspects fired 84 rounds into the residence and three other properties from two stolen vehicles, injuring an adult and prompting five arrests announced by the Charlotte-Mecklenberg Police Department.
Arrests Following the Drive-By Shooting in Charlotte
Investigators linked a stolen Mercedes abandoned after the shooting to 16-year-old Ar’montae Johnson through an iPhone connected to the vehicle on September 15. Johnson admitted to police that he drove the car to an Airbnb party the night before the attack and handed over keys to individuals planning to shoot at windows in retaliation for another shooting. Police recovered a handgun magazine inside the abandoned Mercedes.
Antonio Ladson, 17, was arrested after a search warrant led officers to a Glock 27 containing rounds similar to those recovered from the crime scene. Statements from Johnson and 16-year-old Jaylen Barber led police to identify 17-year-old Ian Garland as the driver of the stolen Mercedes. Garland was arrested on September 30. All four teenagers face charges including shooting into an occupied dwelling, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit a felony.
The Role of the Adult Suspect
Terrance Jackson, 22, is the sole adult charged in connection with the case thus far. Court records show Jackson faces a charge of accessory after the fact. Police stated Jackson helped Johnson reprogram a key for a stolen Infiniti—the second vehicle used in the shooting—before selling it to a buyer in South Carolina for $1,200. Authorities recovered that Infiniti in Orangeburg, South Carolina, approximately 140 miles away from the Charlotte crime scene.
Charlotte-Mecklenberg Police Chief Estella D. Patterson emphasized the department’s ongoing efforts regarding the case. The five arrests announced Thursday are a direct result of that unwavering commitment and the department will not rest until every person responsible is brought to justice, Patterson stated.
Impact on the Family and Community
Caleb Flax was sleeping in his bed when the shooting occurred on September 20; he was pronounced dead at a local hospital four hours after the shooting. Bryanna Flax, the boy’s mother, told WCCB that she tried to cover his body during the gunfire. Kaley Collins, an adult present in the home during the rampage, sustained critical injuries.
Hundreds of mourners attended a community vigil for Flax one week after his death. Family members described the four-year-old, who had started school just weeks prior, as a force whose smile could light up a room. Friends established a fundraiser to support Flax’s mother, noting the profound trauma of losing an only child in an unbreakable bond.