CHARLOTTE — Charlotte-Mecklenburg police say robbers killed two Hispanic men within hours of one another in apparently unrelated incidents.

Luis Alonzo Amayo and Israel Jimenez were killed in different parts of the city. Amayo was shot late Friday. Jimenez died early yesterday.

Police and Hispanic leaders say they believe robbers frequently target immigrants. They are reluctant to keep money in banks and often carry large amounts of cash.

Police are continuing to investigate whether the men were targeted because of their ethnicity.

More than 500 robberies of Hispanics were reported in Charlotte last year. That's almost double the number in 1999.