A Charlotte man is facing federal charges after being accused of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, a serious offense that brings to light the ongoing challenges of gun violence and crime in communities. D’Angelo De’Mara McNeil, 34, stood before a federal judge today, with U.S. Attorney Dena J. King for the Western District of North Carolina leading the announcement.
The circumstances leading to McNeil's arrest were tense and frightening according to the United States Attorney's Office Western District of North Carolina, on June 2, CMPD responded to reports of an individual discharging a firearm toward children at an apartment complex. McNeil was later apprehended in his vehicle where officers discovered a handgun with one round in the chamber, the magazine empty which could indicate recent use, however, the charges currently faced deal solely with the illegal possession of this firearm, not its discharge.
Witness testimony further highlighted the gravity of the incident, asserting that McNeil had chased and shot at the children, with the youth seeking refuge and relaying the peril they had faced to a witness who subsequently witnessed the altercation; these accounts paint a chilling picture of the day's events, before McNeil's apprehension.
Following his court appearance, McNeil was taken into federal custody and now faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted for this firearm charge and the indictment stands as an accusation, with McNeil’s right to a presumption of innocence until proven guilty, this case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shavonn Bennette and forms part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a DOJ initiative aimed at tackling violent crime through collaborative community strategies.
