Two men arrested in connection with mass shooting in Uptown, alleged shooter not identified

CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Two men have been arrested in connection with the mass shooting in Uptown that killed 37-year-old Arleigh Alexzander Bryant early Sunday morning, according to court documents.

Records show 24-year-old Shawn Cannon and 25-year-old Damien Evans were booked into the Mecklenburg County Detention Center on Tuesday night.

Cannon is being charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a stolen firearm, accessory after the fact to murder and felony flee to elude. Evans is being charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and two counts of possession of a stolen firearm. Both suspects are currently being held without bond.

Shooting details

Around 2 a.m. on July 13, officers responded to reports of shots fired in the 300 block of North College Street. Records show CMPD officers were working an off-duty job outside the nightclubs.

Sadly, Bryant was killed at the scene, and five others suffered from gunshot wounds.

One of the off-duty officers saw Evans holding a pistol with an extended magazine and took it away from him. Shortly after, another off-duty officer was flagged down and alerted to a silver BMW that the shooter was seen getting into.

The officer approached the vehicle, and the driver, later identified as Cannon, rolled down the window, and Evans was seen in the passenger seat. After a brief conversation with the officer, Cannon rolled up the window and fled from the scene on 6th Street.

Real Time Crime Center was able to follow the BMW on traffic cameras, and an officer was able to get behind the car to initiate a traffic stop. Cannon did not stop, which started a chase, officials said.

Around 2:45 a.m., the BMW was reportedly found unoccupied at 5512 Harris Cove Drive. While the vehicle was being processed, CMPD detectives found a hat and a gun underneath it.

Cannon was seen on the officer’s body camera wearing the same hat while they were talking near the scene before he fled. The gun was allegedly reported stolen by a man on June 22, 2025.

What we know about the alleged shooter

Surveillance video shows the car was parked right next to where the suspect was shooting, according to records. Evans and the shooter were allegedly approached by officers during an initial response, but were unaware of their involvement at the time.

The shooter, who has not yet been identified, was in the backseat on the driver’s side when the officer approached Cannon in the driver’s seat before he fled.

Although they have not been identified, it is unclear if the shooter has been taken into custody.

“Cannon knowingly assisted the murder suspect to escape custody by driving him away from the incident location,” according to Cannon’s affidavit.

Previous criminal history

Both Evans and Cannon have records of previous arrests. Evans was charged by CMPD in 2017 with conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon. He was ordered to serve 42 months in prison, but he only served 108 days, followed by 36 months of probation.

Cannon was arrested in 2020 in Cabarrus County for eluding arrest in a motor vehicle with three or more aggravating factors. He was ordered to serve 17 months in prison, but he only served two days, followed by 24 months of probation.