Murder charges dropped in 2011 post-Speed Street shooting | Crime

Charges have been dropped against a man accused in a deadly shooting after Charlotte's Food Lion Speed Street more than a year ago.

According to court records, murder and assault with a deadly weapons charges were dropped against 21-year-old Antonio Amos Thompkins.

Thompkins was initially charged in the death of 22-year-old Antwan Smith.

Smith was killed in June 2011 after two groups began fighting along the 200 block of 3rd Street, just hours after the Annual Food Lion Speed Street event ended.

According to court papers dismissing the charges, police officers responded to shots fired and located the victim, Antwan Smith, lying on the sidewalk. Smith was shot once in the head and was pronounced dead on the scene.

A second victim, Durante James, was shot once in the ankle and was located near the scene.

Witness told officers that Smith's friend had been assaulted and he confronted the people who had assaulted his friend which led to the shooting.

Police say James was uncooperative with law enforcement and eventually said he could not identify the shooter.

Several other people present for the incident gave false statements to the police.

According to the court papers, detectives were finally able to track down one person who identified Thompkins as the shooter. That person had pending criminal cases against him, the papers stated.

"While it appears this witness eventually gave a truthful account of the shooting, there is limited and insufficient evidence to corroborate the testimony of this sole, challenged witness,"

Since then - Charlotte police and the District Attorney's Office have made multiple unsuccessful attempts to contact him for follow-up interviews.

"It is clear that this witness will not cooperate in the prosecution of this murder," the dismissal papers stated. "Without the cooperation and truthful testimony of the witnesses present at the shooting, the District Attorney's Office is unable to prosecute defendant Antonio Thompkins at this time."