Incarceration Saves Lives

Last year on April 10, 2025, Jeremiah Lee Cunningham age 21 was released from the Mecklenburg County Detention Center. He had been held since his arrest on domestic violence charges on March 8, 2025.

Less than 2 hours after his release he was gunned down in the middle of the afternoon in an apartment parking lot at 7128 Wallace Road in southeast Charlotte. 

                                   

Life in Charlotte's Independence Division is cheap as the judge who reduced Cunningham's bail signed his death warrant. 

But the madness doesn't stop there.

CMPD Officers responded to the crime scene last year and quickly made an arrest.

Now a little more than a year later the 21 year old's killer Jamykel Blackmon is back on Charlotte's streets.

The charges against the aledged killer Blackmon have been dismissed.

But it doesn't stop there, the Mecklenburg County DA also dismissed the 2022 arrest for hit and run as was the charge of reckless driving to endanger.

Also unrelated to the shooting death of Cunningham. Additional charges brought against Blackmon for discharging a weapon inside city limits 2 counts of Carrying a Concealed Gun, were also dismissed.

More about the murder and the DA's reasoning for the dismissal below.

CMPD Affidavit:

On April 10 2025, at 1219 hours, Independence Division Officers responded to an assault with deadly weapon with injury call for service at 7128 Wallace Road. 

The 911 caller advised that they heard to gunshots and could see male lying on the ground. Upon arrival, Officers located the victim, Jeremiah Lee Cunningham (B/M, 03/05/2004), with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced deceased by Medic Smith at 1230 hours. 

Detectives processed the scene, which was the parking lot at 7128 Wallace Road. Detectives located discharged cartridge cases and found that the victim was on CMPD Electronic Monitoring. The victim was released from jail, placed on the monitor, and arrived at the location. 

Detectives spoke with Citizen 1, who was identified, that stated that they were in the parking lot when the incident occurred. Citizen stated that they heard the gunshots and saw a young B/M wearing black skull cap holding firearm.

Detectives spoke with Citizen 2, who was identified, that stated the description provided by Citizen was that of an individual that lived in 7128 Wallace Road, Apartment F, which is on the second floor of the building.

Citizen is familiar with the residents in 7128 Wallace Road. Citizen explained that this individual is the oldest son of the leaseholder and prior to the murder, Citizen saw this individual wearing black and red beanie.

Detectives spoke with Citizen 3, who was identified, that stated that after the shooting they heard someone run up the stairs to the second floor.

Detectives reviewed the victim's history and found that his home address while on CMPD Electronic Monitoring Wallace Road, Apartment F.  The victim was arrested at this address on 3/8/2025. Detectives

reviewed the BWC from that arrest and found that officers spoke to an individual that was wearing black and red beanie. That individual identified themselves as Jamykel Blackmon.

Detectives researched the leaseholder for 7128 Wallace Road, Apartment F. Birth records show that Jamykel Blackmon (B/M, 7/12/2005)is the oldest son of the leaseholder. Additionally, Jamykel Blackmon has outstanding OFAs which list his home address was 7128 Wallace Road, Apartment F. 

Detectives received a Crime Stoppers Tips regarding this investigation. One tip explained that the shooter was the son of the leaseholder for 7128 Wallace Road, Apartment F. The second tip provided his name and an a arrest photograph for Blackmon.

Based upon the facts, detectives are seeking the charge of First Degree Murder on Jamykel Blackmon.

                    

Mecklenburg DA's decision to dismiss the charge of murder.

On April 10, 2025, Jeremiah Cunningham was fatally shot and killed in the Wallace Wood Apartments parking lot soon after 12:00 PM. Police were called by apartment residents who did not report witnessing the actual shooting, but heard gunshots. The apartment complex did not have any working surveillance cameras at the time.

Police spoke with multiple witnesses. Many witnesses only reported hearing shots and seeing group of people run away from where the victim was ultimately located. One witness reported being outside with that group, but told police she did not see who shot Mr. Cunningham. 

Another witness, a cab driver, initially told police she didn't see anything and then later reported being witness to the shooting. 

In later statements, this witness reported seeing young black man run away from the shooting scene holding firearm. She was able to give basic clothing description. This witness told police this man she saw holding gun helped her with clothing earlier in the day and that her daughter said that man who helped with clothing was man who lived in apartment in building 7128. 

However, when the cab driver was shown picture of the defendant, she stated she did not recognize him. Police confirmed the defendant lived in Apt. through housing authority and birth records.

Police searched Apt. and were not able to locate a firearm. At least one other black man lived in the apartment at the time of the murder and search, Defendant did make statement on recorded jail call that he shot Mr. Cunningham in self-defense. 

Without the defendant's statement on recorded jail call, the State could not prove beyond reasonable doubt his identity as the perpetrator of the murder of Jeremiah Cunningham. 

If the State were to admit the defendant's jail call at trial,

it would then require the jury be instructed on the law of self-defense. 

At trial of this matter, the State would have the burden of proving beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant did not act in self-defense. 

No witness to the shooting or events leading up to the shooting has been located and, based upon the other available witness statements, the State at this time cannot disprove the defendant's claim of self-defense in this shooting.

Based on the foregoing, the State does not have reasonable likelihood of success at trial and cannot meet its burden of proving the defendant guilty beyond reasonable doubt of this offense.