CHARLOTTE, N.C. — There are still more questions than answers in a shooting that shocked the Charlotte community.
Three years ago, the Beatties Ford shooting took the lives of four individuals, and without any arrests, there's a demand for justice.
When Charles Billings walks up to the corner of Beatties Ford Road and Catherine Simmons Avenue, he says it’s a painful reminder of what happened here.
His son and three others were killed, and that caused a pain he says that isn’t fading with time.
“It’s not gonna go anywhere until we find out what happened to the four people that got killed,” Billings said.
It was June 22, 2020, when roughly 150 shots were fired at a Juneteenth celebration. Over 400 people were in attendance — including Mario Black, who was recording a Facebook live at the time. He says he can still recall how it sounded.
“It was a war zone — that’s the word I used from day one. It was a war zone. You hear the shots ringing out, and running, trying to get to safety,” Black said.
While it’s been three years, Billings says he’s still wrapping his head around the thought of losing his son, Jamaa Cassell.
“I don’t think anybody would ever think that their kid would leave and they’d never see him again,” Billings said.
He says what pains him even more is the fact that his son’s killer hasn’t been arrested yet. He says it’s been two years since he’s had any contact with police about the case.
"I get like, well, we’re working on it," Billings said. "That’s just not good... for three years and four people and all the evidence that you have?""I get like, well, we’re working on it," Billings said. "That’s just not good... for three years and four people and all the evidence that you have?"
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department provided the following statement on the status of the case:
"The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department stands resolved in continuing the search for those responsible for the mass shooting on Beatties Ford Road on June 22nd, 2020. While there are no arrests or new information to share, we remind residents that there is a total reward of up to $47,300 being offered for information leading to an arrest(s) in this case. Please contact Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 with information regarding this case."
While Billings waits for justice, his son's memorial stands as a reminder to keep pushing for answers.
"When am I going to get some help to get some justice for the four victims? When am I gonna get some justice for my son?" Billings said.
A celebration of life and moment of silence will be held Saturday at the memorial site at noon to honor the four victims.
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