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Pastor's son becomes victim of Annapolis gun violence

Posted at 11:24 PM, Jul 29, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-30 08:43:23-04
A man was shot while sitting in a car, which eventually crashed into an apartment building Thursday night Annapolis, but that's only where the story starts.
      
The victim was the son of an area pastor, who was trying to help the community.
 
It was just about a week ago that police found two guns stashed in this same neighborhood. It represents a spread of violence that even the victims father was trying to stop.
 
"It's at my door. I never dreamed that it would happen, but it happened," said the Rev. Charles Carroll, Sr.
 
Carroll, Sr. is pastor at the New Deliverance Creation Church in Annapolis where he said he's presided over too many funerals to count.
 
The next funeral he attends, however, will be personal.
 
"I knew it was my son. I don't know all the specifics on what happened, but I do know he was shot multiple times," he said.
 
Carroll Sr.'s son, 25-year-old Charles Carroll, Jr. was shot and killed in the 900 block of Royal St. It was about 9:30 p.m. when police said someone shot Carroll, Jr. while he sat in a car. 
 
Skid marks lead to the crushed wall of an apartment building nearby, making his father believe his son tried desperately to get away from his killer.
 
"I'm pretty for sure, 100 percent, that he knew the people," Carroll Sr. said.
 
Carroll Jr.'s killing was the seventh in Annapolis this year.
 
Initially when shots were fired, Nicole Lindsey, who lives nearby said she checked on her son.
 
"We just need to come together as a community and stop the violence," Lindsey said. "I think about my kids' safety, and how they can't come outside and play."
 
As evening fell onto Annapolis Friday,  the police department was working to try to find Carroll, Jr.'s killer by handing out fliers.
 
It was just weeks ago Carroll, Sr. organized a gun buyback after his sons friend was killed.
 
"I've preached countless numbers of funerals of people who've lost their sons ... and now I've got to sit in the chair next week and be on the other side," Carroll, Sr. said.
 
Carroll, Sr. said his son was a good kid that simply hung with the wrong crowd, and became a target by association.
 
The Annapolis police department is looking for any help they can get as they look to solve his sons murder.
 
Anyone with information can call 410-260-3439 or Metro Crimestoppers at 1-866-7-LOCKUP.