Charlotte police plan update on investigation into fatal shootings of four police officers

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Police in North Carolina’s largest city wanted to update the public on the investigation into the fatal shooting of four police officers who were trying to execute an arrest warrant against a suspect in a residential neighborhood a month ago.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police have scheduled a press conference for Friday evening on the deadliest shooting of police officers since 2016, when a sniper killed five police officers at a protest in Dallas. President Joe Biden traveled to Charlotte and met privately with the families of the slain officers.

Officers from a Charlotte-based U.S. Marshals Task Force were attempting to serve a warrant for illegal possession of a firearm on a suspect at a Charlotte home on April 29 when they came under fire. During a three-hour standoff, officers shot and killed 39-year-old Terry Clark Hughes Jr., who was wanted in neighboring Lincoln County.

The officers killed were Sam Poloche and William Elliott of the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Officer Joshua Eyer and Deputy U.S. Marshal Thomas Weeks. Four other officers were also injured.

An AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and a .40-caliber pistol were found at the scene. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings said afterward that more than 100 shell casings were found, although it was unclear how many the suspect fired. At least 12 police officers also fired weapons.

Police said two women in the home, including a minor, cooperated and no charges have been filed. The police department also said investigators are not looking for any other suspects or persons of interest.

Jennings had stated on the day of the shooting that there was suspicion that a second person had fired at police. However, the next day he retracted that assumption and said the incident was still under investigation.