Anil Dabydeen, 41, of Charlotte, was sentenced on Aug. 4 to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing a stolen firearm used in a highway shooting that injured two people, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina.
U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson said, “We will use federal statutes to charge federal crimes when individuals act recklessly with firearms. No one driving on the highway should be in fear they are going to be shot by a passerby. My office is diligently working to remove felons illegally possessing handguns from our streets and send them to prison where they cannot harm innocent people.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones said, “Taking violent and dangerous individuals off our streets is a critical effort that ATF is proud to be a part of. We continue to work with our law enforcement partners to apprehend those that pose the biggest threat to our public safety.” Chief of Police Estella D. Patterson added, “Violent acts like this have no place in our city, and this case shows what can be accomplished when strong partnerships work together to protect the community. Our officers, federal partners, and prosecutors moved quickly and decisively to hold this offender accountable.”
According to court documents and proceedings, on January 8 at 3:49 p.m., Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department officers responded after several 911 calls reported an individual operating a white Honda sedan shooting at passing vehicles on I-485 near South Tryon Street. Officers found two victims who had been shot; both were transported for medical treatment and one required surgery due to injuries sustained. Video evidence showed Dabydeen brandishing a firearm at passing vehicles before firing three shots into the victims’ car.
Officers later observed Dabydeen fleeing the scene in his vehicle before he was apprehended following a pursuit. A loaded Taurus Model G3c pistol with an extended magazine was recovered from his car; it had been reported stolen. Authorities determined Dabydeen has a prior felony conviction for attempted murder in New York and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Dabydeen remains in federal custody pending transfer to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of facility location. The investigation was led by ATF and CMPD, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Spaugh handled prosecution.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina operates under the U.S. Department of Justice with facilities in Charlotte and Asheville; it employs nearly 100 federal prosecutors and support staff who handle prosecutions of federal crimes as well as civil actions across its region—including half of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians community—and advances public safety through initiatives addressing elder abuse and substance abuse, according to the official website.