A Charlotte man indicted on 5 felony counts accusing him of threatening mass shootings in opposition to 5 space public colleges was launched from jail simply three days earlier than college students had been scheduled to return to class.
Drew Andres Owens, 33, was launched from the Mecklenburg County Jail at 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 22, based on jail data. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Colleges college students had been scheduled to return on Aug. 25.
A Mecklenburg County grand jury indicted Owens in March 2025 on 5 counts of speaking threats of mass violence on academic property. He has pleaded not responsible, and the circumstances stay pending.
4 counts allege Owens despatched emails on Feb. 15, 2025, threatening West Charlotte Excessive College, Ardrey Kell Excessive College, Group Home Center College and Hawk Ridge Elementary College.
In keeping with courtroom paperwork reviewed by Fox Information Digital, Owens allegedly despatched messages threatening to “slaughter workers and college students.”
A separate indictment alleges a mailed risk in opposition to Garinger Excessive College.
The affidavit claimed {that a} scholar, who was armed with two shotguns and an AR-15, would perform the mass capturing.
College directors later decided that no scholar by that identify was enrolled there, based on the affidavit.
The warrant affidavit states that Darryl Owens, Drew’s father and a West Charlotte Excessive College ROTC teacher, instructed police he additionally believed his son was liable for the varsity threats.
Darryl Owens allegedly instructed authorities that his son had harassed kin, neighbors and household pals after being faraway from the household dwelling in 2021, and had despatched unsigned emails and letters threatening to kill or shoot individuals at a number of areas.
The daddy instructed police he had beforehand obtained a restraining order in opposition to his son, that Owens had been arrested for violating it and that the order was later dismissed.
He additionally instructed police that Owens had lately sat outdoors neighbors’ properties and photographed his automotive at West Charlotte Excessive College “to attempt to lure him outdoors.”
In keeping with courtroom data, the bond within the four-school case was lowered from $135,000 to $60,000 in Might 2026.
Docket data point out the four-school case had initially been set at a $135,000 secured bond with digital monitoring in February 2025.
A choose lowered that quantity to $60,000 on Might 1, 2026.
The separate case tied to Garinger Excessive College carried a secured bond of $15,000.
Owens glad the court-ordered pretrial bond situations and was launched Saturday, Aug. 22.
Courtroom data confirmed a $60,000 secured bond within the four-school case and a $15,000 secured bond within the Garinger case.
An expert surety posted the $60,000 bond the earlier Friday night time.
WSOC beforehand reported that Owens’ file included arrests for resisting arrest and shoplifting.
The native outlet didn’t report a complete variety of prior arrests, and Fox Information Digital has reached out to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Division for extra particulars.
Following his launch, mother and father instructed WSOC that they’re nervous to ship their children off to highschool as the varsity 12 months kicks off.
“Is he going to point out up at one of many colleges? It’s not good,” stated one guardian. “I’m not going to really feel comfy; I’m not going to faux it’s OK.”
“On this scenario it’s complicated as a result of he had a $200K bond,” one other guardian stated. “He’s clearly a public security risk, so what took the risk stage down?”
“He’s out and that’s it, and the remainder of us must take care of it and academics must go to highschool on Tuesday and take care of it,” one other guardian stated.
It was not instantly clear if Owens had an legal professional representing him.
