CHARLOTTE — Nearly two months after a man died following a violent altercation with security guards at the Charlotte transit center, Channel 9 has learned that detectives with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department have classified the case as a justified homicide.
“The Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office has consulted with the CMPD’s Homicide Unit and concurs with the detectives’ decision not to charge anyone in this case,” a CMPD spokesperson said.
Channel 9 has been pushing for answers in the case since December after a viral video showed guards beating and kicking a man.
Channel 9 learned that Joshua Overton, 32, was the man who died at the transit center on the afternoon of Dec. 8, 2024. His name had not previously been released.
Video of the incident was captured by a witness and posted on the Charlittt_nc Instagram page.
It shows guards beating Overton with a baton and later kicking him. At one point, Overton crawls away and collapses grasping someone’s legs.
Now that Overton’s identity has been released, Channel 9 is working on obtaining his official cause of death.
“The reporting person representing Strategic Security Corporation requested MEDIC to be on scene for the victim,” according to the police narrative. “The victim was transported from the scene as life-threatening due to his current medical state when first responders arrived on scene. The victim was pronounced dead at an Atrium hospital later after being transported by MEDIC.”
Channel 9 twice reached out for comment from Strategic Security Corporation out of New York, the company contracted by CATS to provide security at the transit center, but did not get any response.
A CATS spokesperson told Channel 9 on Wednesday: “Since this incident didn’t involve CATS staff, we don’t have any additional comment.”
Remembering the victim
The Rev. Denise Lewis said Overton attended her church, and she helped him with transitional housing as part of her ministry, My Father’s Choice Ministries.
“I was heartbroken,” she said. “He did have mental issues. He did. He could get eally belligerent sometime, and, you know, and up in your face, but never, like, hit nobody or anything like that.”
Lewis said Overton was in and out of hospitals the whole time she knew him, including just before his death.
“Then we’d get him to the hospital, and they’d send them back the next day,” the reverend said.
Others at the ministry called Overton “Preacher man,” saying he’d preach for hours on end.
Lewis still had Overton’s Bible and a picture he drew her the day before he died.
“The whole system needs to be overhauled,” Lewis said. “We got to take a look at how we treat the mental health community, even how they live, even where they live at.”
Lewis said she still has all of Joshua’s belongings and she’s hoping his family comes forward soon so she can give them his things and join her in holding a memorial in his honor.
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