CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A rock thrown through a daycare window in north Charlotte Monday morning had a message containing hate speech attached to it, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said.
No one was hurt during Monday’s incident, CMPD said. Staff members and parents are being notified by detectives and the daycare.
“Panicked and scared,” father Daquan Jeter said. “I would have never thought something like this would happen over there.”
CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings said his department has evidence Monday’s incident is connected to the shooting of a park ranger at Friendship Park on Nov. 27, when a Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation worker was shot while closing the facility.
Friendship Sportsplex is within walking distance of the Marizetta Kerry Child Development Center.
“This incident has some pretty clear links to the previous investigation,” Maj. Melanie Peacock said. “It’s critical we get the public’s help on this. It’s very likely someone in the community might know who’s responsible.”
CMPD said evidence from both crime scenes is being processed for commonalities. The FBI’s field office in Charlotte is assisting CMPD with the investigation.
On Monday around 8 p.m., CMPD said a suspect was taken into custody for this incident. The suspect’s identity is being withheld at this time. No other persons of interest have been identified.
In addition to working with the FBI, CMPD officials said all patrol divisions are performing zone checks near daycares across Charlotte as a precaution.
“If this right here happened ain’t no telling what else can transpire if no police were here to stop that from happening,” Jeter said.
Investigators are asking the public to provide any surveillance video they may have from the area showing any suspicious activity.
Any person with information about either incident is asked to call Charlotte Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.