Less than 90 minutes after walking out of the Mecklenburg County jail, David Simpson was accused of carrying out a deadly shooting at the Charlotte apartment complex where he lived.
Simpson was released at 12:21 a.m. Wednesday after posting bond the previous afternoon. He had been jailed for failing to appear in court in connection with an earlier charge of possessing a weapon while incarcerated, according to WCNC-TV.
At approximately 1:45 a.m., police responded to a shooting outside Simpson’s apartment complex. One man was killed, and another person was injured. Investigators later arrested Simpson and accused him of being responsible for the violence.
The short period between his release and the shooting has renewed criticism of how the justice system handles defendants with long criminal records.
Defense attorney Tim Cannady, who is not involved in the case, pointed to Simpson’s history of arrests and violent charges.
“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 said. “So you kind of have to ask the question: Why wasn’t he already in jail?”
Former Charlotte City Council member Tariq Bokhari expressed similar frustration, arguing that authorities already know which repeat offenders are most likely to commit additional crimes.
“We know what these top 1 percent of repeat offenders are going to do, and for some reason, we just don’t have the appetite to take action,” Bokhari said.
He described the situation as feeling like “Groundhog Day,” with the same pattern repeating despite repeated arrests and warnings.
According to WBTV, Simpson now faces several serious charges, including first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
His criminal history stretches back more than a decade. In 2013, Simpson was charged with first-degree murder in connection with another fatal shooting, according to WSOC-TV. He later accepted a plea agreement and served approximately five years in prison.
After his release, WSOC reported that Simpson accumulated at least 10 additional notable arrests.
Simpson’s girlfriend, Shameka Scott, was also arrested Wednesday. Police charged her with accessory after the fact, alleging that she helped Simpson flee the scene. She was later released after posting a $30,000 bond, according to WBTV.
Investigators believe the shooting began with an argument over a parking space. WCNC reported that officers had already been called to the apartment complex twice during the evening before the gunfire erupted.
Police said surveillance footage showed the victim’s vehicle arriving at the property. Simpson was then allegedly seen entering the apartment complex before returning with a black bag that appeared to contain a heavy object.
Gunshots were heard soon afterward. The footage reportedly showed Simpson carrying the same bag back into the apartment following the shooting.
The case has drawn attention not only because of the severity of the allegations, but also because Simpson had been released from custody only moments before the violence occurred. For critics, the incident raises difficult questions about bond decisions, repeat offenders, and whether the justice system is doing enough to protect the public from people with extensive records of violent behavior.
