Michael Graff

Author (as of Nov. 16). Editor of Axios Charlotte. Essayist. Orioles fan.

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Justin Carr was killed while protesting for Black lives. Now his son, who wasn’t yet born that night, is almost 4.

Posted on June 9, 2020December 16, 2020 by Michael

The night I saw his father die, Justin Carr Jr. was still in the womb. It was September 21, 2016, and I was covering a protest in uptown when a shot rang out. The bullet could’ve hit anyone. But for some reason it chose Justin. And now his son is almost 4. 

Of all the stories I’ve done in Charlotte, this is the one I’ve hoped to understand most: Who was Justin Carr, the man randomly selected by that bullet? I spent time getting to know his mom and family. They’re wonderful, loving, and his little boy is a firecracker.

Was an honor to write, especially working with photographer friend Logan Cyrus, who was also there that night for the New York Times. I’ll never forget riding out of center city that night with him, both of us choking up, then telling him to go home to be with his own baby boy.

Here’s the story. 

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