Charlotte police identify six officers in alleged racist group chat

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police identified six officers accused of participating in a racist group chat: Mateo Juarez, Joseph Kelly, Alexander Larsen, Tredan Maronic, Matthew Osborn and Jerimiah Todman. The chat allegedly included racial slurs and a competition over who could stop the most Black drivers. CMPD cited all six for termination; four have resigned, while two remain suspended without pay and await Civil Service Board proceedings. The messages were uncovered during an investigation involving former officer Seth Elliott, who resigned after his arrest on a charge related to allegedly accessing a government computer to misuse Flock camera technology. At Chief Estella Patterson’s request, the FBI is investigating possible civil rights violations; no criminal charges against the six officers have been reported.