2024 Charlotte shootout

{{Short description|Shootout between suspect and police officers}}

{{Infobox civilian attack

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| location = 5525 Galway Drive, Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.{{cite web |url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/crime/article288124305.html |title='Sounded like Vietnam out there.' Charlotte residents describe shooting where officers killed |date=April 30, 2024 |access-date=April 30, 2024 |first1=Ryan |last1=Oehrli |first2=Julia |last2=Coin |first3=Rebecca |last3=Noel |first4=Josh |last4=Bergeron}}

| target = Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police and United States Marshal officers.

| coordinates =

| date = April 29, 2024

| time-begin = 1:50

| time-end = 4:56 p.m.{{cite web |url=https://www.wbtv.com/2024/04/29/cmpd-issues-severe-alert-active-investigation-underway-northeast-charlotte/ |title='We lost heroes.' 3 US Marshal task force officers killed, 4 CMPD officers hurt, 1 critically, in E CLT shootout |first=Connor |last=Lomis |date=April 29, 2024 |access-date=April 29, 2024 |publisher=WBTV}}

| timezone = EDT

| type = Mass shooting, mass murder, shootout,{{cite web |last1=Verduzco |first1=Erik |last2=Smith |first2=Peter |title=4 law officers killed, 4 others wounded trying to serve warrant in North Carolina, authorities say |url=https://apnews.com/article/charlotte-north-carolina-shooting-police-42d3e25ec6ec990634c9ac209e0f779a |website=Associated Press |access-date=April 29, 2024 |date=April 29, 2024}} resisting arrest

| fatalities = 5 (including the perpetrator)

| injuries = 5 (4 by gunfire)

| perp = Terry Clark Hughes Jr.

| weapons = AR-15–style rifle
.40-caliber handgun

| motive =

}}

On April 29, 2024, multiple police officers were involved in a shootout in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States while serving active felony warrants on 39-year-old Terry Clark Hughes Jr., resulting in the deaths of three members of a U.S. Marshal task force and one local police officer. Police allege that Hughes initiated the event by firing on the officers as they approached his residence. After the police began returning fire, additional gunfire came from inside the residence, which officers say may have come from Hughes firing more shots while down before succumbing at the scene.{{cite web |url=https://www.charlottenc.gov/cmpd/News-Information/Newsroom/Eight-Officers-Shot-One-CMPD-Officer-and-Three-U.S.-Marshals-Fugitive-Task-Force-Officers-Killed-During-Investigation-4-29-2024 |title=Eight Officers Shot, Four Officers Killed During Investigation |access-date=April 30, 2024 |author=Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department}}

Events

At approximately 1:50 p.m. EDT (UTC−04:00), a U.S. Marshals Service task force arrived at 5525 Galway Drive to serve a warrant on Hughes. After Hughes opened fire on the officers with a rifle,{{Cite web |first1=Devon M. |last1=Sayers |last2=Nottingham |first3=Emma |last3=Tucker |date=April 30, 2024 |title=4 law enforcement officers were killed in shooting at a home in Charlotte, North Carolina. 4 other officers are hospitalized |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/29/us/officers-shot-charlotte-north-carolina/index.html |access-date=April 30, 2024 |website=CNN |language=en}} officers called for backup and began to return fire. Additional fire came from inside the residence as officers continued to approach. Hughes and three members of the task force died on the scene, and one Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) officer later died from his injuries. Four more law enforcement officers were injured.{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/charlotte-shooting-north-carolina-police/ |title=New details emerge after 4 law enforcement officers killed in shooting in Charlotte, North Carolina |first1=Alex |last1=Sundby |first2=Matthew |last2=Mosk |first3=Robert |last3=Legare |first4=Andres |last4=Triay |first5=Pat |last5=Milton |date=April 30, 2024 |access-date=May 1, 2024 |publisher=CBS News}}

After the attack, police recovered a .40-caliber handgun and an AR-15–style rifle. Ammunition was also found for both weapons.{{Cite news |date=April 30, 2024 |title=North Carolina police officers killed in home siege remembered as heroes |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68931948 |access-date=April 30, 2024 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB |first=Nadine |last=Yousif}}

==Perpetrator==

Hughes was born in Danville, Virginia and was raised in Roxboro, North Carolina.{{cite web|url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article289064889.html|title=Who was the Charlotte man who killed 4 officers? Friends, records paint conflicting view|date=June 12, 2024|access-date=June 12, 2024}} He was wanted on multiple warrants, including for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in Lincolnton. Hughes had a criminal record dating back as early as his conviction of a Person County robbery in September 2009 and was once previously arrested for reckless driving and speeding as the result of a high-speed pursuit that ended with a crash on I-40/85 near Haw River in June 2012.{{cite web |url=https://webapps.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=1241991&searchLastName=hughes&searchFirstName=terry&searchDOBRange=0&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1 |title=North Carolina Department Of Adult Correction Offender Public Information: Terry C. Hughes, Jr. |date=n.d. |access-date=April 30, 2024}} At first, police believed there were two shooters, but on April 30, CMPD chief Johnny Jennings announced police were not seeking additional suspects. On May 31, police officially confirmed that Hughes was the only shooter.{{cite news |url=https://apnews.com/article/police-shootings-officers-killed-charlotte-3cb208936af84608022db433d09d1814 |title=Charlotte police investigation of deaths of 4 officers finds suspect acted alone; no friendly fire |date=May 31, 2024 |access-date=June 2, 2024 |work=Associated Press News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240531210031/https://apnews.com/article/police-shootings-officers-killed-charlotte-3cb208936af84608022db433d09d1814 |archive-date=May 31, 2024 |url-status=live}}

Following the shootout, police initiated negotiations with the individuals inside the house. Two women came outside afterward and were taken in by police for questioning. Jennings said both suspects are cooperating with police, but {{as of|2024|06|02|alt=no charges were filed}}.

Law enforcement fatalities

File:Thomas Weeks Memorial Serice - 020 (53703094266).jpg

The victims included a deputy U.S. marshal, two officers with the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, and one CMPD officer. Four others were wounded as a result of the shootout. Sam Poloche, William "Alden" Elliot, and Thomas Weeks Jr. died at the scene, and Joshua Eyer was initially in critical condition but died in the hospital several hours later.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68925453 |title=Charlotte shooting: Four officers shot dead, four wounded, in North Carolina home siege |date=May 1, 2024 |access-date=May 1, 2024 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB |first1=Max |last1=Matza |first2=Nadine |last2=Yousif}}

Three of the wounded officers were CMPD officers and the fourth was a Statesville Police Department officer. Another CMPD officer was not shot but broke his foot during the shootout.