Court records say the suspect forced open an apartment door and entered the child’s bedroom shortly before the fatal attack.
PINEVILLE, NC — A 31-year-old father is accused of forcing his way into a Mecklenburg County apartment and fatally attacking his 5-year-old son before fleeing, according to police and court records.
Jehaaz-Akil Khaliq Echoles faces charges of first-degree murder and assault on a female in the death of Khalil Ali Echoles. Pineville police said officers responded shortly after midnight July 9 to the Sabal Point Apartments near South Polk Street after receiving an emergency call about an assault with a deadly weapon.
An arrest affidavit says Echoles did not live at the apartment. The child’s mother told investigators that Echoles broke through the front door, entered their son’s bedroom and closed the door behind him. She heard a commotion, opened the bedroom door and saw Echoles run from the room and leave the apartment, the affidavit says.
The mother found the boy unresponsive and suffering from serious injuries, according to the court record. Another child who was inside the apartment was not injured. Police have described the case as a domestic incident and said they do not believe the attack was random.
Officers began emergency medical care when they arrived and placed the child in a police vehicle to take him directly to a hospital. Khalil was pronounced dead after arriving at the hospital, authorities said. Police Chief Corey Copley said officers acted quickly because of the severity of the boy’s injuries.
Investigators identified Echoles as a suspect and arrested him a short time later at a restaurant near Carolina Place Mall, about 1½ miles from the apartment. Police obtained warrants to search the apartment and vehicles connected to the investigation. Authorities have not publicly identified a motive or released further details about what led to the attack.
Echoles appeared before a judge later July 9. The judge denied him bond, citing the murder charge and his criminal history, and appointed a public defender to represent him. Court records listed another hearing for July 30. An attorney who could comment on his behalf was not identified in the available records.
North Carolina court records show Echoles had previously faced several assault-related allegations in the Charlotte area. The records include a past conviction for assault on a female and pending cases involving accusations that he assaulted women. Those earlier matters are separate from the murder case, and pending allegations have not been proven in court.
Pineville police said officers had responded to an earlier incident involving the family in 2026, but officials did not disclose the circumstances of that call. Investigators also have not said whether any protective order, custody proceeding or other court restriction was in effect at the time of the child’s death.
The killing affected residents of the apartment complex as well as the police officers, firefighters, emergency medical workers and hospital staff who responded. Pineville police said counseling and other support services were being made available to first responders and community members dealing with the aftermath.
Echoles remained in the Mecklenburg County jail without bond as the investigation continued. The charges are accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Author note: Last updated July 12, 2026.