Three Law Enforcement Officers Killed, Eight Wounded in Shooting during Weapons Raid in Charlotte

Three members of a law enforcement task force were fatally shot and eight other officers sustained injuries during an operation to serve a warrant for weapons possession by a convicted felon at a residence in Charlotte, North Carolina on Monday afternoon. The deceased included two U.S Marshals Fugitive Task Force agents while one critically injured police officer is currently fighting for his life in hospital. According to the Chief of Police Johnny Jennings, officers from various agencies that make up the task force were conducting an investigation at a house located on Galway Drive when they came under gunfire as they approached two suspects around 1:30 pm local time (EST). One person died following being struck by return fire and further investigations are ongoing to establish what transpired inside the residence after officers returned there later. The shooting was swiftly followed with statements of sympathy from a host of high profile figures in North Carolina politics, including Democratic gubernatorial candidate Roy Cooper who pledged state resources towards the case. In tweets shared online at the time of events unfolding, Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles and Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Ted Budd (R-NC), also expressed their condolences to those affected by the tragedy. “This is a good example of what we try to tell people every single day that when we put on this uniform, we don’t have any guarantees that we’ll return home,” Jennings said in response to questions from reporters during an afternoon news conference held at CMPD headquarters near Uptown Charlotte. The police chief added that the task force comprises officers drawn from various law enforcement agencies across North Carolina including the host city of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) which is leading investigations into the incident.