A convicted killer is accused of opening fire on two men in Charlotte, killing one of them, less than two hours after he walked out of a North Carolina jail on bond last week — a startling sequence now prompting renewed scrutiny over how a repeat violent offender was released.
David Simpson, 29, faces charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, and possession of a firearm by a felon in connection with the July 29 shooting at an east Charlotte apartment complex. On Friday, a Mecklenburg County judge ordered Simpson held without bond.
Court records obtained by WCNC show Simpson was released from the Mecklenburg County Jail at 12:20 a.m. after posting a $10,000 bond in an unrelated case involving possession of a weapon by a prisoner. According to police, the shooting unfolded less than two hours later, at about 1:45 a.m., leaving one man dead and another with serious injuries.
David Simpson, 29, is charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, and possession of a firearm by a felon in connection with the shooting. (Mecklenburg County Jail)
Investigators said the violence stemmed from an ongoing dispute over a parking space outside the apartment complex. Officers had already responded to the property twice earlier that night after arguments erupted between the victims and residents about where the victims had parked.
Surveillance footage referenced in court documents appears to show Simpson standing outside with his girlfriend as the victims’ SUV passed by. Detectives said Simpson then went inside, came back out carrying what was described as a weighted black bag, and ran toward the victims.
Simpson was released from the Mecklenburg County Jail at 12:20 a.m. after posting a $10,000 bond on an unrelated charge of possession of a weapon by a prisoner, according to jail records. (Mecklenburg County Jail)
About 10 minutes later, the video captures the sound of two gunshots, investigators said. Roughly 30 seconds after the shots, Simpson is allegedly seen jogging back toward his apartment while handling the bag before driving away. Officers later found two spent 7.62-caliber rifle casings at the scene.
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One victim died at the scene. The second made it inside an apartment before collapsing and later underwent surgery.
Court records show Simpson was previously charged with first-degree murder in a 2013 fatal shooting but pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in 2015, Queen City News reported. He served about five years in prison before being released on parole in 2020.
Since then, he has been arrested several more times, including on multiple charges of possession of a firearm by a felon, WBTV reported.
He also had pending charges this year for possession of a firearm by a felon, resisting a public officer and misdemeanor larceny, WCNC reported, citing court records.
Charlotte defense attorney Tim Cannady, who is not involved in the case, questioned why Simpson remained free despite his history.
“If you look at his history, it seems like this gentleman has picked up just about every year up to this point some kind of a violent crime,” Cannady told WCNC. “So you kind of have to ask the question: Why wasn’t he already in jail?”
An aerial view of the skyline of downtown Charlotte, North Carolina, on Oct. 12, 2023. (Omar Vega/Getty Images)
Former Charlotte City Council member Tariq Bokhari offered a similar criticism.
“We know what these top 1% of repeat offenders are going to do, and for some reason, we just don’t have the appetite to take action,” Bokhari told WBTV. “It feels like ‘Groundhog Day,’ to be quite honest.”
Simpson refused to leave his jail cell for his first scheduled court appearance Friday morning, delaying the hearing until a judge ordered him to appear later that afternoon.
His girlfriend, Shakema Scott, has also been charged with accessory after the fact.
Simpson is due back in court on Aug. 21.
