Dee Dee Gatton
First at Four Anchor, Investigative Reporter
Charlotte, NC
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Prior to coming to Charlotte, Dee Dee was the evening anchor/special projects reporter at WICS-WRSP in Springfield, Illinois. While in Springfield, her work and the station was recognized with a prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award for an investigation into the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.
She also was recognized by the Illinois Associated Press with a First Place Award as Top Reporter on a documentary she wrote and produced on the lifesaving life flight program at St. John's Hospital. Dee Dee has anchored continuous coverage on the brutal death of Yingying Zhang, a visiting University of Illinois Scholar from China.
Earlier in her career, Dee Dee was an anchor/reporter at KPNX-Phoenix and served as both an evening and morning anchor in Oregon.
Dee Dee was born and raised in Washington, D.C. and is a proud alumna of the College of William and Mary. Dee Dee had originally planned on becoming an attorney, but after falling in love with broadcast journalism and writing, she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in English Literature. Dee Dee speaks Spanish and lived/studied in Spain.
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As the city continues to grow, construction sites are prime targets for thieves.
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45-year-old Paul Bumgardner of Gastonia is accused in the killings of a mother and son in York County in September.
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Of the charges erroneously dismissed, approximately 300 were DWI offenses.
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CMPD responded to the scene in southwest Charlotte overnight.
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Right now, several of their staff based in North Carolina are helping people in Puerto Rico.
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State Highway Patrol says there were multiple hit-and-run collisions and a related armed kidnapping on I-40.
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Brandon Thomas, 35, died in a single-vehicle motorcycle crash in Shelby while off-duty on Thursday.
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A fight took a strange turn on a Charlotte-Mecklenburg school bus.
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A local woman who recently lost her home had to surrender 30 bunnies.
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A local auto shop owner said thieves can steal a catalytic converter in as little as one minute.
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Police did tell us, until the suspect in this most recent case is caught, you’ll see an increased presence, especially in this area.
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For one family in Charlotte, Labor Day weekend brings back unbearable memories.
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Classes for Iredell-Statesville Schools started today, and some parents say, it’s already off to a rough start.
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CMPD says on July 31, Flood was observed doing wheelies at a high rate of speed on a dirt bike up and down Statesville Avenue.
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“We want to have a better living environment and better opportunities for the community,” an organizer said.
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One woman contacted WBTV after, she says, a tree fell on her home, creating a hole she can’t seem to get fixed.
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From 2020 to 2021, local and state law enforcement agencies seized more than 400 ghost guns in North Carolina.
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Gastonia Police responded to 129 home burglaries by this time last year. This year, they’ve responded to 160.
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CMPD says, they saw a 7% increase in seizing ghost guns in the last 5 months of this year compared to that same time (Jan-May) last year.
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Obstructions, such as parked cars, can create dangerous situations for cyclists.
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According to data from CMPD, there have been 13 more homicides in the city this year than this time last year.
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CMPD says it is aware of the ongoing issue involving bicycle groups riding recklessly in Uptown and other parts of Charlotte.
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“I mean, as a coach, it’s not just about coaching the kid to be good at football,” one coach said.
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Days after a mass shooting at a holiday parade, there’s warranted concern about safety at large events.
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Officials say this weekend will be one of the busiest of the year.
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Kelly Lavery was sentenced to prison for her role in the brutal murder of Mary Collins.
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“We had sort of like a flurry of activities,” a local pharmacist said. “People want to stock up to protect themselves.”
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Groups from both sides of the aisle gathered at abortion clinics to voice their opinion on Friday.
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This morning, CATS tweeted that riders should “expect intermittent delays on CATS bus routes” due to operator absences.
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Since late May, WBTV has reported on at least 2 shootings and 2 killings in the Highland community in Gastonia.
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A home on Guildbrook Road was ruled a total loss after a fire on Sunday.
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The shooting happened in the 1000 block of Seigle Avenue.
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Travel experts say, don’t be surprised if you see those long lines and flight cancellations.
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Vet clinics say that on a 90-degree day, pavement temperatures can reach 150 degrees.
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While many are running indoors to AC, many are also spending time outdoors. That includes hikers at Crowders Mountain in Gaston County.
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As we prepare for the heatwave to come, WBTV is on your side with resources to escape the heat and protect yourself.
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The shooting happened April 30, but one suspect remains on the run.
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Parents are scrambling amid a nationwide baby formula shortage. The issues are supply chain problems and a February recall that shut down a formula plant in Michigan. The shortage is hitting home for families in the Carolinas.
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YMCA’s Camp Thunderbird along Lake Wylie is expecting a record number of campers.
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Inside a full church, Pence said, “And let’s especially pray that the 5 justices listed in the majority opinion leaked this week will have the courage of their convictions to right a historic wrong and overturn Roe versus Wade.”
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Because of the shortage of homes, many children are being moved outside of their home counties.
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The Panthers took Ekwonu, who played at Providence Day, with the sixth-overall pick.
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“As you’re trying to bring people back into uptown after the pandemic, you really want it to be pedestrian friendly for everybody and people are feeling that that’s not really the case.”
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Charlotte has been struck by four homicides in the past five days, continuing an upward trend of gun violence.
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Police continue to investigate a deadly shooting that happened last Thursday, April 14, at a Mint Hill gas station. An 18-year-old girl was killed.
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Right now, an alleged crime surrounding a Gastonia adoptive father is drawing up a lot questions about the adoption and foster care screening process.
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Auto shop owner Dutch Silverstein told WBTV, in SUVs or vans, there’s more room for a criminal to get under, tap to see how full the gas tank is, and drill.
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Council members voted to remove Angelia James, effective immediately, after James was seen stating claims about felons in a hotel and then threatening to fire officers in Sept. 2021.
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“We are seeing more senseless shootings, especially those into occupied properties like homes and cars.”
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The USC Gamecocks have returned to South Carolina as national champions! They took home the 2022 NCAA women’s basketball championship after beating UConn in Minneapolis.
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