A 36-year-old man has turned himself in to police in connection with the Monday morning shooting death of 15-year-old Tiffany Wright, the pregnant teen who was gunned down as she waited for a school bus..png)
According to the Charlotte Observer, police described Royce Mitchell as a “person of interest” in the case.
The Observer also reported that Wright was Mitchell’s adopted sister. He had been accused of raping her and was wanted on warrants for statutory rape and indecent liberties with a minor, records show.
Wright, an 11th grader at Hawthorn High School, was shot and killed Monday morning while standing at a school bus stop in north Charlotte. She was 36 weeks pregnant. Her baby, a girl, was initially reported in critical condition.
Mitchell turned himself in late Monday.
The shooting happened about 6 a.m. in the 6700 block of Mallard Creek Road, between Sugar Creek Road and W.T. Harris Boulevard. Police said they responded to a report of a shooting and found Wright in the street, shot in the head.
Tracey Pickard, Hawthorne High’s principal, was quoted in the Charlotte Observer as saying Wright came to the school in August and was “extremely focused.” Hawthorn offers a special program for pregnant teens and students with small babies.
CMS officials said grief counselors are sent to Hawthorne High.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call homicide detectives at 704-432-TIPS, or Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.
