A late-night “prank” meant to stir jealousy turned into gunfire in North Carolina, after a man allegedly opened fire on a car packed with his girlfriend and four others when he believed she was cheating.
Police say 20-year-old Shyhied Ivey tracked down the group early April 5 in Charlotte and unleashed multiple shots after being baited by a fake scenario staged by his girlfriend, Nevaeh Covington, and another man.
According to an affidavit, the night started at Camp North End, where Covington and four friends had gone to grab food.
At some point, Covington and one of the group, Damion Rann, decided to set up a stunt… having Rann call Ivey and pretend he was romantically involved with her. The call landed. And Ivey didn’t laugh.
After the group left, Covington realized Ivey was closing in behind them. She had shared her location with him through Find My iPhone, giving him a direct line to wherever they drove.
Police say Ivey began driving aggressively, trying to force the vehicle to pull over.
Covington later told officers he also appeared to be firing a handgun into the air while chasing them down.
The situation escalated at the intersection of Freedom Drive and Wesley Village Road.
That’s where investigators say Ivey pulled alongside the red Nissan Altima carrying the five occupants and fired approximately three shots into the car before speeding off.
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One of the bullets shattered the rear passenger-side window. Despite the close-range gunfire, no one inside the vehicle was injured.
Officers responding just after midnight to a report of assault with a deadly weapon found damage consistent with the shooting and began piecing together what happened.
DOT camera footage helped track Ivey’s vehicle—a black Nissan sedan—pulling up next to the victims’ car. Investigators noted “three bright bursts” coming from his side as glass exploded inside the Altima.
At the scene, officers also recovered a shell casing that appeared “fresh” and showed no signs of wear from the road.
That evidence, along with the video, led detectives to Ivey.
He now faces multiple charges, including five counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle, domestic violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Authorities say Ivey had already been arrested six times in 2024 on charges ranging from breaking and entering a motor vehicle to felony conspiracy.
He had been released in each case and was sentenced April 9 to 24 months of supervised probation.
The Charlotte shooting wasn’t the only case where a prank triggered gunfire.
In Ohio, police say a “ding-dong ditch” stunt ended with bullets flying after a homeowner allegedly opened fire on a car full of teenagers.
According to court records cited by WXIX-TV, 33-year-old Yarvis Godfrey fired multiple shots at the vehicle after four juveniles knocked on his door and ran away.
The teens told police they drove to a nearby cul-de-sac, turned around, and passed the house again when they saw a man standing near the street holding a gun equipped with a green laser.
Moments later, shots rang out. Investigators later found shell casings and damage consistent with the shooting.
A bullet struck the vehicle as the teens fled, while additional rounds hit nearby homes.
Officers recovered a .45 caliber shell casing in front of the house and later executed a search warrant, uncovering a matching semiautomatic pistol with a green laser inside.
Police say Godfrey then followed the teens before officers arrived and confronted them.
He now faces charges including felonious assault and improperly discharging a firearm at or into a habitation.
His bond was set at $80,000, and a judge ordered him to have no contact with the juveniles and to refrain from possessing firearms.
Prosecutors described the response as excessive. “Responding with a .45 caliber weapon is completely disproportionate,” they said in court.
The teenagers involved were also charged, facing disorderly conduct counts tied to the prank.
Another case involving a so-called prank unfolded in Oklahoma City, where police say officers themselves staged a scenario that sent dispatchers scrambling.
During what appeared to be a real-time pursuit around 9:30 p.m., dispatchers began receiving alarming updates which were not over the radio, but through the department’s electronic messaging system.
According to audio from the incident, one message claimed a baby had been thrown from a moving vehicle.
Another suggested the suspect had run over a person.
As dispatchers relayed the updates, emergency responders mobilized.
Firefighters rushed toward the reported scene, and additional officers joined what they believed was an active and dangerous pursuit.
Meanwhile, confusion spread across communication channels as officers questioned why radio contact wasn’t being used.
At one point, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol dispatcher asked if assistance was needed.
The situation continued to escalate, until it suddenly stopped. A supervisor eventually called for the pursuit to be terminated.
That’s when the explanation came through. “It was an April Fools’ prank,” a dispatcher relayed from the officers involved.
Authorities later confirmed the messages had been sent by Oklahoma City police officers themselves.
Those involved have since been placed on administrative leave while the department investigates how the false scenario unfolded and why emergency resources were mobilized based on fabricated information.
