Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather III has cleared two Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers in the shooting death of 28-year-old Joseph Ajani Andrade, ruling that criminal charges are not likely to stick after what authorities describe as a brutal crime spree across northwest Charlotte last October.
DA says deadly force was justified
In a 30-page review released Tuesday, Merriweather wrote that "It is without question that Officers Pharr and Delk were justified in exercising deadly force" and that "the State will not pursue criminal charges related to the death of Joseph Ajani Andrade," according to the Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office. The letter walks through physical evidence and witness accounts, including cartridge cases and the handgun recovered at the scene, which prosecutors say show Andrade fired at officers during the pursuit.
How the chase turned deadly
According to the DA's review and police accounts, the violence on Oct. 23, 2025, included multiple attempted carjackings and a home invasion that escalated into a kidnapping. Earlier that day, two men had been found shot, and investigators later tracked Andrade to a stolen vehicle. Officers tailed the vehicle until it was boxed in near Freedom Drive and Morehead Street. At that point, officials say, Andrade got out and opened fire on officers, who then shot him, as detailed by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
Victims and the human cost
Local reporting identified the men killed earlier in the spree as 38-year-old Justin Westbrooks Carlton and 34-year-old Shabazz Mesiah Grant. Relatives told reporters that Grant worked as a rideshare driver and left behind four children under age 10. His family also said he had been expecting a fifth child in April, according to WCNC.
What the DA actually decides
Merriweather's letter stresses that his office is limited to deciding whether criminal prosecution is warranted under state law. Questions about police tactics or any discipline for officers fall to city officials and CMPD leadership, not prosecutors. Citing the Graham v. Connor standard, the review focuses on whether a "reasonable officer on the scene" could have believed deadly force was necessary, and concludes that bar is met, according to the Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office.
State probe and what comes next
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation remains the lead agency on the officer-involved shooting and supplied the investigative file Merriweather reviewed. CMPD says it will keep working with state investigators while any internal reviews inside the department and potential civil claims play out, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
Community still watching
For families of the victims and community advocates, the DA's announcement closes the door on criminal charges against the officers but not on broader questions about how the chase was handled. Some local leaders say they will be watching the SBI investigation and CMPD's internal reviews closely for any administrative findings or reform recommendations, and they do not expect public scrutiny to fade anytime soon.
