CHARLOTTE, N.C. — An attempt to serve a warrant turned deadly Monday when a deputy U.S. marshal and three other members of a task force were shot and killed while trying to serve a warrant in Charlotte.
In all, eight law enforcement officials were shot, including two correction officers who were killed and a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer who was critically wounded and later died. Three other Charlotte-Mecklenburg officers were also shot.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) Chief Johnny Jennings said at a 9:40 p.m. briefing that Officer Joshua Eyer had succumbed to his injuries.
“Officer Joshua Eyer has passed away tonight from his injuries after being shot in the line of duty this afternoon while assisting other officers with the apprehension of a suspect,” CMPD said in a statement on social media. “Officer Eyer faithfully served the CMPD’s North Tryon Division for six years and was a member of the 178th Recruit Class. We are forever indebted to Officer Eyer for his bravery and ultimate sacrifice. His life and service will never be forgotten. Please say a prayer for Officer Eyer’s loved ones during this difficult time.”
Eyer was survived by his wife and a 3-year-old son, Jennings said.
He added that “we’re still actively investigating this and that this incident would “still be a CMPD case.”
The deadly saga began around 1:30 p.m. when the U.S. Marshals Task Force went to serve a warrant on a convicted felon believed to have illegal firearms.
The police chief said the task force members were met with a barrage of gunfire, which they returned.
The man shooting at the officers was killed in the front yard of a home in the eastern Charlotte neighborhood, but as officers approached him, more shots were fired in their direction from inside a nearby home.
When the shootout ended, a standoff began and lasted for several hours. That included armored vehicles crashing into the suburban home in a tree-lined neighborhood and tearing off doorways and windows.
At 5 p.m., hours after the first response, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department announced that the scene was clear, and the people inside the home — a woman and a 17-year-old boy — were being detained for questioning.
“Today we lost some heroes who were out simply trying to keep our community safe,” Jennings said.
During a 6 p.m. news conference, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said three U.S. marshals had been killed, and a fourth injured.
Later, the U.S. Marshals Service confirmed that one of its officers had been killed. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper clarified that the other two killed were officers with the State Department of Adult Correction who were working with the task force.
“Every single day, Deputy U.S. Marshals and Task Force Officers put their lives on the line to apprehend some of our country’s most dangerous criminals,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a statement. “Today, three of those dedicated public servants made the ultimate sacrifice. Multiple other officers were critically injured while carrying out this operation to protect their community. The Justice Department is heartbroken by the deaths of three of our own law enforcement colleagues, and we extend our deepest condolences to their loved ones as they grieve this unfathomable loss.”
WATCH: Full news conference
Raw video: At a news conference, Charlotte Police discussed a deadly day that left 3 US Marshals dead.
Jennings confirmed that the suspect killed in the shootout was the subject of the warrant.
“A lot of the questions that need to be answered, we don’t even know what those questions are now,” Jennings said less than four hours after the shooting. “We have to get a full understanding of why this occurred and also uphold the integrity of the investigation.”
Cooper posted on social media that he had offered state resources to assist local law enforcement in any way they may need.
Cooper later arrived in Charlotte, the state’s largest city, to meet with officials and the families of the victims.
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles took to social media to offer her thoughts on the shooting:
“I am deeply saddened by the shooting that occurred that involved Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers and US Marshals today. I ask that all Charlotteans keep them, the other injured officers, and their families in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time.”
President Joe Biden was briefed on the shooting and spoke to Cooper to express his condolences and support for the community, according to the White House.
In a statement, the White House said: “The president was briefed on the shooting in North Carolina, in which multiple law enforcement officers were killed. He spoke to Governor Cooper and expressed his condolences and support for the community. In addition, senior White House officials are in touch with federal, state, and local officials.”
The last marshal shot and killed in the line of duty was in November 2018. Chase White was shot in Tucson, Arizona, by a man wanted for stalking local law enforcement officers, the agency said.
The Associated Press contributed.
News Internet Ventures.