Suspect Accused Of Shooting Park Ranger, Throwing Rock Containing Hate Speech Through Day Care Door: Cops

A man is accused of shooting a park ranger and threatening mass violence at a North Carolina day care center, authorities said.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police arrested Tyson Lee Corpening, 36, last week and charged him with multiple crimes, including attempted murder, Queen City News reported.

According to police, about 8:40 a.m. the day of his arrest, someone threw a rock through the door of the Marizetta Kerry Child Development Center. The rock contained hate speech, authorites said.

Police then connected the alleged hate speech incident with the recent shooting of a park ranger but officials declined to reveal the evidence that allegedly ties the two crimes together and with Corpening, Queen City News reported.

The ranger was shot on Nov. 27 near the entrance to the Charlotte Friendship Sportsplex, a county park that is within walking distance of the day care center where the rock was thrown.

The shooting victim is expected to recover from his gunshot wound to an extremity, police said.

In addition to the attempted murder charge, Corpening faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, ethnic intimidation, property damage, threat of mass violence on educational property, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.