A 15-year-old in Charlotte, North Carolina has been arrested 111 times since August 2023 and released again despite concerns over violent crime and repeat offender issues. During a Wednesday news conference, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) discussed the city’s latest crime stats. While the city, according to the CMPD, experienced a 20% reduction in violent crimes, including homicides, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults, which encompass shootings, there is reason for alarm with over half of those arrested for violent crimes having prior arrests — including teens. One example is an unnamed 15-year-old with an astounding 111 arrests since August 2023. The teen has been linked to about 50 separate cases involving at least 55 stolen vehicles and 45 break-ins. “We continue to see a troubling pattern: a disproportionate number of violent incidents and property crimes are being committed by individuals with extensive criminal histories — many of whom continue to cycle through the justice system without facing meaningful consequences,” said Sgt. Todd Martin of the Southeast Service Area Crime Reduction Unit. “The cycle of catch and release does not reduce crime in our community,” he emphasized. Martin revealed the repeat offender’s disturbing search history, including Google searches such as, “What is the charge for killing an officer?” and “Is police murder a charge?” These searches were found on the juvenile’s cellphone. “These are the things a 15-year-old in possession of multiple firearms was searching for,” he added. Despite the juvenile’s delinquency history and repeat offender status, the juvenile was released back into the community in September. The case comes as Charlotte grapples with the stabbing death of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, who was allegedly stabbed to death by a repeat offender on the light rail system. The suspect, Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., has a criminal history spanning over a decade, including felony breaking and entering and robbery with a dangerous weapon, for which he served a five-year prison sentence. The incident has raised concerns about the effectiveness of current policies and the need for stronger measures to prevent such repeat offenses.