CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Local and state officials shared new details Tuesday on the shooting Monday that left four law enforcement officers and a suspect dead amid an hourslong standoff that locked down much of east Charlotte.
Gov. Roy Cooper, Attorney General Josh Stein and officials with the U.S. Marshals Service spoke during a news conference at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center alongside Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings and Mayor Vi Lyles.
Officials identified Thomas “Tommy” Weeks as the deputy marshal killed Monday when a task force was shot at while trying to serve a warrant at a home on Galway Drive in the Shannon Park neighborhood. Weeks was a 13-year veteran of the marshals service. He worked with the Western District of North Carolina for the last 10 years.
He is survived by his wife and four children.
“I don’t think words can describe the amount of pain that the Marshal Service and all of its members, our family of law enforcement in general, this community and communities around the country are feeling over such a loss,” Marshal Service Director Ronald Davis said.
Officials previously identified CMPD Officer Joshua Eyer as well as Sam Poloche and Alden Elliott of the Department of Adult Correction as the other officers killed in the shooting.
Jennings for the first time on Tuesday identified the four CMPD officers injured as Christopher Tolley, Michael Giglio, Jack Blowers and Justin Campbell. Just one of the officers remains hospitalized as of Tuesday, according to Jennings, and all are expected to make a full recovery. Three of the officers were shot, and another broke his foot. The person who broke his foot is in addition to previously reported injuries.
Officials said previously Terry Clark Hughes, Jr., 39, was the subject of the warrant. He was shot and killed by police, who returned fire when Hughes started shooting, according to CMPD. Hughes was wanted for possession of a firearm by a felon and two counts of felony flee to elude out of Lincoln County.
Multiple agencies responded to the scene. Authorities told neighbors to shelter in place. Schools locked down in the area and roads closed.
New details on Galway Drive shooting
Two women, one 17 years old, were also in the home “voluntarily” during the shooting, Jennings said Tuesday.
Both were taken into custody and are “fully cooperating” with officials, he said. Neither was charged with any crimes as of Tuesday morning, according to Jennings, but he didn’t rule out possible charges later. Jennings said he could not yet disclose the nature of the relationship between the two women and Hughes.
Jennings said an AR-15 rifle and .40 caliber handgun were recovered from the home. He also walked back previous statements that indicated two people shot at law enforcement from the home.
“We are not ready to say that,” Jennings said.
Hughes fired at officers from multiple positions within the house, Jennings said, creating confusion about how many shooters there were.
“That’s part of the investigation we have to sort through, and we will certainly come to a conclusion on that at some point,” he said.
Officials said previously that the incident began about 1:30 p.m. Monday, when members of the task force arrived at the house on Galway Drive to serve a warrant.
Hughes allegedly began firing at task force members from inside the house. He came out of the house with a gun at some point during the incident before being shot and killed in the front yard, police said Tuesday.
A CMPD sergeant who was part of the task force “immediately” radioed for help when the shooting began, according to Jennings, and CMPD division officers “quickly responded.” Those officers were also shot at when they arrived at the house.
As the investigation continues, CMPD will work to put together a more complete timeline “exactly pinpointing” when the task force arrived, when the shooting began, when back up arrived and when Hughes was killed, Jennings added.
There are 16 agencies that make up the Marshal Service’s Carolinas Fugitive Task Force, Davis said.
A total of 12 CMPD officers fired their weapons during Monday’s incident and are now on paid administrative leave in accordance with policy, Jennings said.
CMPD’s Homicide Unit is leading the investigation into the shooting, the department said in a Tuesday statement.
Officials offer condolences, support
A visibly emotional Jennings called Monday’s shooting “probably the most difficult” experience of his law enforcement career.
“It’s just been very tough,” he said as a tear ran down his face.
Lyles said she visited the hospital Monday night as a procession escorted Eyer’s remains to the medical examiner’s office. The mayor said she was moved by the actions of law enforcement and the health care workers who worked on them.
“I want you to know we see you. We support you, not just today but in the many days to come,” she said before leading the crowd in a moment of silence.
Cooper said he’s met with some of the families of those killed and one of the injured CMPD officers.
“The investigation into this tragic, brutal, deadly attack will result in more answers that we don’t know today. And I expect us to find those answers and to help bring justice,” he said.
Cooper and Lyles said they heard from leaders around the nation, including President Joe Biden, since the shooting. Those leaders offered condolences and assistance with the investigation.
Representatives from the FBI, ATF and Homeland Security were present at a Monday press briefing on the shooting.
“We must do more to protect our law enforcement officers,” Biden said in a statement late Monday night that called on Congress to pass tougher gun regulations and for more funding for law enforcement.
Plans for memorial, funeral service
Details on funeral services for the fallen officers and a public memorial will be released at a later time, Jennings said.
“We are working with the families to see exactly how we want to proceed,” he said.
Something will be done to honor the four men killed in conjunction with National Police Week in May, he said.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Foundation also will provide aid to the injured officers and the families of those killed, Jennings added.
Charlotte City Council member Tariq Bokhari started a GoFundMe to raise money for Eyer’s family, which has raised more than $9,000 towards its $20,000 goal as of 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.
_____
©2024 The Charlotte Observer.
Visit at charlotteobserver.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
