Charlotte security guard hospitalized, shot by coworker in Meck government building

A security guard at a Mecklenburg County government building has been hospitalized after being shot by another security guard while working.

The shooting occurred overnight Wednesday at the Valerie C. Woodard Center on Freedom Drive. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police told The Charlotte Observer that the shooting was not accidental and that there was “a disturbance between the suspect and the victim.”

Medic said the victim had life-threatening injuries after being shot.

A county spokesperson told the Observer no county employees were present at the time. The county government contracts with an outside business for security.

“The two guards involved in this incident were immediately removed from the property and will no longer work on the county contract,” according to the county’s statement. “AFM Security is working with the vendor to determine additional actions that might be required to mitigate such incidents in the future. No county employees were involved, and the facility is secure today.”

One of the guards, Kevin Bentley, 29, has been arrested and is charged with assault with a deadly weapon resulting in serious injury, according to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office. He was released on bond a few hours after he was processed into the jail Wednesday morning.