Pressure Mounts For Dem Governor To Call In National Guard After Spate Of High-Profile Murders

Rep. Mark Harris (R-NC) demanded Wednesday that North Carolina Democratic Governor Josh Stein deploy the National Guard to Charlotte after a spate of high-profile murders in the city. 

Harris, alongside Republican Reps. Pat Harrigan and Chuck Edwards, asked Stein in a letter obtained by The Daily Wire to grant the request of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fraternal Order of Police to send in the National Guard to Charlotte. 

“Until our judicial system ensures criminals are held accountable, there is a compelling case to deter violence through a visible, stabilizing presence such as the National Guard,” the lawmakers wrote. “While calling upon the National Guard is not a long-term solution to Charlotte’s law enforcement staffing challenges, it is an emergency measure designed to stabilize a crisis situation and protect innocent lives.”

The letter said that Charlotte had a streak of 8 murders in 7 days, and the city’s downtown area had seen a 200% increase in its murder rate from this time last year. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fraternal Order of Police said assaults involving knives and guns increased from 86 in 2024 to 111 in 2025, while strong-arm robberies have increased from 26 to 32 in the same time. 

“Governor Stein is deaf to the desperate pleas of Charlotte’s police and residents,” Harris said. “He refuses reinforcements to crush the violent crime surge—exposing him and his party as pro-crime Democrats who coddle criminals while ignoring victims. That’s why my colleagues and I are fighting for millions of North Carolinians, demanding we reclaim the Queen City. Governor Stein: Stop stalling—send in the Guard now.”

The lawmakers also discussed the case of Decarlos Brown Jr., who was charged with the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, after he had previously been arrested 14 times. They also referenced the recent release of a 15-year-old who has been arrested over 100 times over the last two years and is still walking freely on the streets. 

“The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fraternal Order of Police continues to stand by our request for federal assistance,” said  Daniel Redford, the president of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fraternal Order of Police. “What is most concerning is that city leaders, many of whom have served multiple terms, have failed to foresee these police shortages and build the ranks of CMPD at a time when attrition was manageable. The officers of CMPD are now tasked with the burden of their failures and they grow more and more exhausted as each day passes.”

Other cities, like Washington, D.C., and Memphis, have seen decreases in crime after the deployment of National Guard troops.