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Charlotte-Mecklenburg police charged Andrea Cole with first-degree murder in the Altliff Court shooting of Thomas McDonald.
The department said officers found Thomas McDonald, 47, with gunshot wounds in the 10000 block of Altliff Court at about 11:03 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, and Charlotte Fire pronounced him dead at the scene. A Sunday case update said Andrea Cole, 25, was charged with first-degree murder after detectives interviewed her at the Law Enforcement Center.
By Crime Talk Network Staff Writer · · Updated
The first Sunday bulletin said detectives were not looking for anyone else and named no one. The update the same day named Thomas McDonald and charged Andrea Cole. Police have not described how the two knew each other or what led to the shooting. A charge is not a conviction.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said officers were sent at about 11:03 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, to an assault with a deadly weapon with injury in the 10000 block of Altliff Court, in the department's University City Division. The department said officers found one person with apparent gunshot wounds and that Charlotte Fire pronounced that person dead at the scene. WCNC's report, published at 12:26 a.m. Sunday, placed the shooting on Altliff Court near McClean Road and said officials had not said whether anyone had been arrested. WBTV reported the shooting was around 11 p.m. on Altliff Court in the Loren Farms neighborhood.
The department's first Sunday release said homicide detectives, crime scene investigators, Operations Command, Victim Services, MEDIC and Charlotte Fire responded, and that detectives were not looking for any additional involved parties. That release did not name the person who died or anyone arrested. A case update published the same day identified the man who was killed as Thomas McDonald, 47, and said detectives had identified Andrea Cole, 25, as a suspect. The update said Cole was taken into custody for an interview with homicide detectives at the Law Enforcement Center and, when the interview ended, was transferred to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office. She is charged with first-degree murder, the department said. It said the next of kin had been notified of the death and of the arrest.
WBTV reported the same names, ages and charge, and said police did not immediately say what led up to the shooting. WCNC's overnight story said it was unclear what led to the shooting. The department's update says the investigation is active and ongoing and names Detective Fitch as the lead detective. It asks anyone with information to call 704-432-8477 or Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600, and it lists report number 20261024-2303-04. No court date was in the Sunday releases. The first-degree murder charge is an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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