Early in the morning of Sunday September 7, shortly after 1:15 a.m., Rogerick Currie was reportedly walking on a stretch of the 4000 block of Queen City Drive (adjacent to a popular gay nightclub in Charlotte known as The Woodshed) when he was shot by another person on the scene.
According to a police report obtained by Qnotes, he was killed at the aforementioned address, although that same report indicates he was transported to Atrium Health main where he was pronounced dead from gunshot wounds shortly after 2:00 a.m.
Other points of interest stand out on the police report. In a section that describes the relationship between the victim and the suspect, reporting officer SV Flannery indicated the shooter was unknown to the victim. However, Flannery also recorded that the victim was shot – with a handgun – and killed by a “known suspect.” The offense committed, as listed on the document obtained by Qnotes, is described as Homicide/Murder: First or Second Degree.
It is not clear who the suspect is known by, although an individual identified as Sherman Lamar Johnson is listed as the Primary Reporting Person.
In a conversation with Qnotes the detective assigned to the case, identified as Officer JA Carter, explained that the suspect is known, however no charges have been filed and there are no plans for an arrest despite the homicide description listed on the report. Carter also confirmed that Currie’s family had been informed of the details. She declined to identify the shooter, the specifics surrounding their reason for shooting Currie and what transpired before his death. When pushed for a further explanation she offered: “There are many reasons a person might shoot another, such as self-defense.”
Given that CMPD released a public statement indicating the case investigation was ongoing, Carter’s statement that no further actions were expected seems to contradict the initial police report and the press release.
“The investigation into this case is active and ongoing,” the statement reads. “As additional information develops, it will be released by the CMPD’s Public Affairs Division. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 704-432-8477 (TIPS) and speak directly to a Homicide Unit detective. Detective Carter is the lead detective assigned to this case.”
Initially, Carter seemed unfamiliar with the police department’s statement, but then offered the assessment that it was “just standard procedure.”
Commentary from multiple sources via social media claimed Currie had previously been inside the Woodshed prior to the shooting, although Carter would not confirm that information. “It’s not relevant,” she said. “It’s not relevant to the case.”
While friends and family have posted comments about Currie throughout multiple social media platforms, none discovered during in-depth internet research have questioned the reason behind his death; suggested the police were somehow performing inadequately or demanded additional efforts from CMPD regarding the case.
Public records identify Currie as a long-time Charlotte resident, and a North Carolina native of Fayetteville. He attended Claflin University, an Historic Black University in Orangeburg, South Carolina, where he was a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and later attended Johnson C. Smith to obtain a Master’s Degree.
His Facebook page indicates he had previously worked for a non-profit known as Teach For America and Lowe’s Hardware, where he had participated in extensive DEI training prior to the company discontinuing the programs. His LinkedIn profile shows that he also spent just over a year working at the Men’s Shelter of Charlotte (now known as Roof Above).
Public search services indicate he had at one time shared a residence with another Charlotte man known as Jamil Brown. Brown posted several photos and sentiments on social media about the time the two men spent together.
“Rogerick,” he wrote. “A love like yours is immeasurable to calculate. You loved so hard and beautifully. Your light brighten[ed] my world 10X over. At times I was so undeserving of your love and light, but you loved me anyway. God, your smile! Your smile is priceless and it just made me feel so special. From day 1 our connection was instant and incredibly strong, we talked about how no one understood it. I remember [the] day I told you that you felt like home and how much that made you happy. We laughed, danced [and] cried together. You taught me so much, believed in me so much. There will never be another you. I thank God for you. I am so grateful we got to tell each other how much we cared and loved each other over this past year. I don’t know how to live life without you. I am forever yours. I love you to the moon and back. Until we meet again my love.”
But Brown wasn’t the only one who posted words of praise for Currie. From his sister Melissa Currie came the following words: “I am so lost [for] words. I did not only lose a brother, I lost my best friend, my ear, my voice, my motivation, my inspiration, my guidance, my twin. You gave me so much love, knowledge, and acknowledgment. You made me feel so seen. You made me feel like I mattered, most of all you made me feel loved. All I can hear you say is “keep pushing” I’m trying. For you I will always keep trying. I thank you for all the years you protected and loved your little sister.”
Many other stories have been shared on social media about Currie, all full of caring and compassion for the man who touched their lives so deeply.
The question remains, why is he dead? Why did someone purportedly feel the need to shoot him in order to protect themselves, and why is CMPD not sharing the information they said they would in the initial press release?
This story is ongoing and will be updated as additional details become available.
A funeral service was held for Rogerick Llevon Currie September 20 at the Evangelical House of God in Spring Lake, North Carolina.
