Four police officers were killed and four additional police officers were injured on Monday during a shootout that took place as law enforcement officials attempted to execute a warrant against a felon suspect in Charlotte, North Carolina.
According to a Charolette-Mecklenburg Police Department press release, the shootout incident occurred as the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force was conducting an investigation and serving “active felony warrants on a male subject” at roughly 1:30 p.m. on Monday.
“As officers approached, the male subject discharged his firearm striking multiple officers,” the press release stated. “These officers requested immediate response from other officers. As officers responded, the gunfire continued, striking additional officers.”
According to Fox News, Deputy U.S. Marshal Thomas M. Weeks Jr., North Carolina Department of Adult Correction officers Sam Poloche and William “Alden” Elliott, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officer Joshua Eyer were killed in Monday’s shootout. Meanwhile, the four injured police officers received treatment at a local hospital.
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Addressing the incident on Monday, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Jennings said, “Today we lost some heroes who were out simply trying to keep our community safe.”
During a Monday press briefing, law enforcement authorities noted that the suspect, who was identified as 39-year-old Terry Clark Hughes Jr., was also killed during the shootout, according to Fox News. Officials said Hughes was the first to open fire during Monday’s shootout.
According to the Charolette-Mecklenburg Police Department, Hughes was wanted for the possession of a firearm by a felon and two counts of felony flee to elude out of Lincoln County, North Carolina.
Fox News reported that law enforcement officials have indicated that two shooters may have been involved in Monday’s incident. In a second press release, police noted that two females who were located inside the suspect’s house were taken to the police station to be interviewed by police detectives.
“We have two people of interest at the police station that are being questioned right now,” Police Chief Johnny Jennings said. “And we have confirmed that the individual that was set up that we were serving the warrant on was the individual who fired the initial shots and was deceased in the front yard at the end of all of this.”
Pictures of the police officers who were killed in Monday’s shootout and a photo of the deceased suspect have been shared on social media.
