Teen becomes Chattanooga's fourth homicide victim of 2015

A 19-year-old man was shot and killed on Chattanooga's North Shore Monday night in what police are calling a drug deal gone wrong.

Investigators believe Charles Holsey was shot once after he went to 310 Sylvan St. for a drug deal and got into a fight around 8:45 p.m.

The teenager then got into a vehicle with another person and fled the scene of the shooting, police said. But Holsey made it only about a third of a mile before his vehicle crashed into another vehicle at 709 N. Market St.

Emergency responders took Holsey to the hospital, where he died from the gunshot wound.

Holsey is the fourth person in Chattanooga to be shot and killed so far this year. The teenager studied at Berry College in Georgia for a year, from fall of 2013 until fall of 2014, a spokeswoman at the college said. He withdrew from the school in December 2014.

A family friend said Holsey, who went by the nickname "Chas," was outgoing, a good kid and a dedicated student. The friend asked to remain anonymous until she was able to talk with his family. She added that she has never known Holsey to use or deal drugs.

"I can't see him using cocaine, I can't see him selling cocaine or marijuana," she said. "Knowing him and knowing his character, I cannot imagine that."

Police have not said what evidence led investigators to believe that Holsey was shot during a drug deal.

The other person who was in the vehicle with Holsey when it crashed was also taken to the hospital Monday night, but suffered non life-threatening injuries.

The person in the second, unrelated vehicle was not seriously injured and was not taken to the hospital, according to police. Investigators have not identified either of the other two victims in the car accident.

There have been an additional 13 non-fatal shootings within city limits during the first two months of the year.

At this point in 2014, the city had seen 15 non-fatal shootings and five shooting deaths.

Contact staff reporter Shelly Bradbury at 423-757-6525 or sbradbury@timesfreepress.com with tips or story ideas.

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