Suspect Arrested in South Carolina After Fatal Uptown Charlotte Shooting, Police Say
Tyrell Deshawn Valentine, 36, faces a murder charge in the Sept. 6, 2026, shooting death of Manuel De Jesus Martinez in uptown Charlotte, police said.
A 36-year-old man is facing a murder charge in connection with a shooting that killed a man in uptown Charlotte over Labor Day weekend, police say.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police announced on Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, that detectives had identified Tyrell Deshawn Valentine as a suspect in the death of 33-year-old Manuel De Jesus Martinez, obtained warrants for his arrest, and taken him into custody in South Carolina, according to CMPD’s homicide investigation report.
What Police Say Happened on West Trade Street
Officers were called to the 700 block of West Trade Street — near the Johnson & Wales University campus — shortly before 4 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, for what was reported as an assault with a deadly weapon, according to CMPD.
When they arrived, they found a man with an apparent gunshot wound. Medic pronounced him dead at the scene. Police later identified him as Martinez and said his family had been notified.
Homicide detectives, Crime Scene Search investigators, and Victim Services staff all responded that morning.
Arrest Made in Union County, South Carolina
Valentine was located and arrested without incident by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and the Union County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina, working alongside CMPD’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team.
CMPD detectives traveled there to interview him. Police say he’ll be extradited back to Mecklenburg County in the coming weeks and turned over to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, where he faces a murder charge.
One note on timing: CMPD’s own release lists the arrest date in a way that conflicts with itself, and local outlets have reported it differently as a result. What’s clear is that police announced the arrest on Sept. 7, 2026 — within roughly a day of the shooting.
What Police Had Not Said
As of the department’s Sept. 7, 2026, announcement, CMPD had not released a motive, described what led up to the shooting, or said whether Martinez and Valentine knew each other. The department said the investigation was active and ongoing, and that more would be released as it developed.
Valentine has been charged, not convicted.
Anyone with information is asked to call CMPD’s Homicide Unit at 704-432-8477 and ask for a detective, or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 704-334-1600.
MaxCrime has covered other recent Labor Day weekend shooting investigations across the country, including a fatal shooting at a Taunton house party, separate Saturday-night shootings in Chicago, and a backyard celebration shooting in Fresno. Additional local reports are available in MaxCrime’s Crime News section.
