A grieving North Carolina father attacked the man accused of killing his 16-year-old son inside a courthouse while the suspected murderer was free on bond.
Shaheem Snype, 47, was arrested after allegedly lunging at 21-year-old Marion McKnight — the man accused of fatally shooting his son, Jamariyae Dixon, last spring — at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse in Charlotte on Thursday, Queen City News reported.
Shocking video appears to show Snype charging at McKnight in a courthouse hallway and delivering a barrage of punches and kicks before an officer used a Taser to stop the father.
McKnight was transported to a hospital following the on-video assault.
The heartbroken father was charged with misdemeanor assault inflicting serious injury, but was released from jail hours later after posting a $1,000 bond, according to the outlet.
Dixon’s family said Snype came face-to-face with McKnight while the accused killer was free on a $100,000 bond — a decision they believe never should have happened.
Following the attack, Dixon’s aunt, Susan Sherrill, shared that emotions boiled over for Snype when he encountered McKnight outside the courtroom.
“He did what he had to do as a father,” Sherrill told the outlet.
“Any father would’ve did the same thing. We’re still grieving. This is a wound that will never ever close because my nephew was 16 years old, and he should still be here with us.”
The confrontation stems from a deadly shooting last year that claimed Dixon’s life.
Police said Dixon was shot during an incident on Stroud Park Court on May 23, 2025, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
Officers responding around 5:30 p.m. located three victims with gunshot wounds in the park. All three were transported to local hospitals, including two in life-threatening condition.
Dixon was pronounced dead two days later at Atrium Health, police said.
Investigators later identified McKnight as a suspect, obtained a warrant for his arrest and transferred him into Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office custody after detectives questioned him on May 28.
McKnight was charged with murder in connection with Dixon’s death, but was released on bond in November 2025.
McKnight has been living at his mother’s home under electronic monitoring since his release.
Officials said McKnight returned to court on Thursday as prosecutors sought to revoke his bond in a motion filed on February 18.
The 16-year-old’s mother, Lynnette Dixon, said she wasn’t at the courthouse during the attack but later watched the video and admitted it brought her a rare moment of relief.
“My face smiled,” she said. “I smiled. That was the first time I had a real smile since my son been gone.”
Read the full article here
