The family of a missing Charlotte man with mental disabilities is asking for the public’s help in locating him. The missing man is 36-year-old T.J. Norris (or, Joshua Timothy Norris), who has a traumatic brain injury and other mental disabilities. Until October 20, he had been a patient at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte after he was hit by a Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) bus in March. He was in the hospital for seven months and is on a waiting list for a mental institution.

After Mr. Norris was released earlier this month, he was placed in a facility whose staff was not aware of the severity of his illnesses. Charlotte Police were called following an altercation at the facility, but did not arrest Mr. Norris at that time. After a second incident, Police were again called, but Mr. Norris ran away before they arrived. Charlotte Mecklenburg Police are planning to use a helicopter tomorrow (October 27) to utilize a thermal view and to cover more area.

Mr. Norris, who has family in Hickory, was last seen in the Nations Ford Road area wearing a gray T-shirt, a black jacket, blue jeans, and black shoes. Mr. Norris is a white male. He is about 5’4” tall and weighs approximately 145 pounds. He has a “pride” tattoo on his lower stomach and a cross on his left arm. He has many scars on his arms and legs from surgeries that followed an earlier accident and a scar on his neck from the surgery in March.

Mr. Norris has been deemed incompetent by the state and has only lived in brain injury group homes since he was a teenager. Intellectually, he is on the level of a nine-year-old. Mr. Norris is bi-polar and subject to rapid mood swings. He has been known to become aggressive. As of today, he has been six days without the proper medications to treat his illnesses

When located, Charlotte Mecklenburg Police will take Mr. Norris to the nearest psychiatric hospital until he can be permanently placed. He is aware that he will be going back to the hospital if found and may be hiding.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of T.J. Norris should call C.M.P.D. at 704-336-7600.