Two injured in shooting outside southwest Charlotte apartment

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Two men were injured, one seriously, in a shooting in southwest Charlotte early Monday morning.

It happened just before 5 a.m. in an apartment parking lot located in the 600 block of Archdale Drive.

Family members say two brothers were outside their apartment when two men, one armed with a handgun, approached them. Police say Marino Lopez-Miranda was shot in the chest and went to Carolinas Medical Center. His brother, Raul Lopez-Miranda was punched in the face.

CMPD says the man shot in the chest is in critical condition. The other man is expected to be OK.

Neighbors say several shots were fired.

"I called 911 because I hear shots. My family was asleep," said Israel Santiago. "We wake up to see what happened – two guys right here, one guy got shot in the chest."

Santiago's SUV has two bullet holes, and two other cars were also damaged.

One bullet sailed through the bedroom window of an upstairs apartment where people were sleeping.

A man in the apartment told WBTV he was sleeping when he heard the shots.

He woke up and stayed down.

"Then I heard the broken glass fall on my feet then I stayed down. I rolled like a dog to the other rooms," he said. I looked outside and saw the guy crying downstairs so we went downstairs, we called the police."

Police say the motive appears to be robbery.

Investigators are checking to see if this morning's case is related to a string of robberies on July 16.

Police released a statement outlining the incidents.

On Sunday, July 16, 2017, at 4:46 a.m., two suspects approached the victims while they were standing outside their apartments in the 1400 block of Kentland Lane (Westover Division).  The suspects pulled out a firearm and took the victims property before fleeing the scene.

At 6:53 a.m., the victim walked out to his vehicle in the 600 block of Archdale Drive (Steele Creek Division), when two suspects approached him while a third suspect waited in the vehicle.  The two suspects pointed a handgun at the victim and took property.

At 8:32 a.m., the victims were loading their vehicle in the 6600 block of Montcrest Drive (Steele Creek Division), when two suspects approached them while a third waited nearby.  The suspects pointed a handgun at the victims and took their property before fleeing on foot.

At 8:56 a.m., the victim was at his vehicle in the 2400 block of Dunlavin Way (Eastway Division), when two suspects approached him on foot. The victim stated that one of the suspects brandished a handgun and pointed it at him while demanding his wallet. The second suspect grabbed property from his person and swung a knife at the victim cutting his finger. The victim stated the suspects got into a vehicle and fled the scene.

At 9:22 a.m., the victim was near his vehicle in the 5700 block of Airport Drive (Freedom Division), when three suspects approached him. The victim stated that the suspects brandished a handgun and demanding money. The victim stated the suspects got into a vehicle and fled the scene.

At 11:06 a.m., the victim stated that he was on the phone sitting in his vehicle in the 1000 block of Falls Creek Lane (Westover Division), when three suspects approached him. The suspects pointed a handgun at the victim and demanded money. The victim stated the suspects got into a vehicle driven by a fourth suspect and fled the scene.

At 11:38 a.m., the victims stated that they were outside their apartment in the 3400 block of Weston Street (Westover Division), when four suspects approached them. The suspects pointed a handgun at the victims and demanded property.  The victims stated the suspects got into a vehicle and fled the scene.

The police report for Monday's incident says it was an attempted robbery. No items were listed as taken.

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