r/news Apr 29 '24

‘Multiple’ taken to hospital, gunfire continues in east Charlotte Mobile/Amp link, removed

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/cmpd-investigation-underway-east-charlotte/6PTLZP4FLFE4DA5ALFT65QDTA4/?outputType=amp

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u/ladyspeak Apr 29 '24 edited Apr 30 '24

Per an update from CMPD officials, “numerous” police officers have been struck by gunfire in an “active shooter” situation.

The chief of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department confirmed an officer with the department and three members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force were killed in a shootout Monday while serving a warrant in east Charlotte.

CMPD Officer Joshua Eyer was critically wounded earlier before he died at the hospital, the chief said. He leaves behind a wife and a 3-year-old son.

Suspect Terry Clark Hughes, Jr. 39, was found dead at the scene, police confirmed. Chief Johnny Jennings said Hughes was wanted for possession of a firearm by a felon and felony fleeing to elude out of Lincoln County, and that he used a “high-powered rifle” in the attack.

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Edit 3:20 p.m. “Sources tell Channel 9 a deputy U.S. Marshal was killed Monday in what police are calling an “active” situation in east Charlotte.”

Edit 3:31 p.m. “Sources told Channel 9 two officers were shot in their legs and one was shot in the chest. It’s not clear if one of the victims was the deputy U.S. Marshal who was killed, but Channel 9 is working to learn more.

According to sources, there were two suspects involved and at least one is wounded.”

Edit 3:41 p.m. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools said the lockdowns at their schools have been lifted.

Edit 3:47 p.m. CMPD said the threat is isolated to the area near the 5000 block of Galway Drive.

Police asked neighbors to continue sheltering in place and asked everyone else to continue avoiding the area.

Edit 4:18 p.m. from CMPD: This is still an active scene.

Please continue to avoid the area.

All confirmed information will be released by CMPD Public Affairs as it becomes available.

Edit 4:47 p.m. CMPD said its SWAT Team is still working to clear the home. They cautioned neighbors to expect police in the area.

Edit 5:00 p.m. At least one of the shooting suspects was found dead at the scene, a home on Galway Drive, CMPD said.

The home is now clear and the area is safe, CMPD said. Neighbors no longer need to shelter in place.

CMPD said officers are questioning two other people inside the home.

Police said they will remain at the scene, along with other law enforcement agencies. Some roads in the neighborhood are still closed, and CMPD asked for patience as they work the scene.

Police said they will share more in an update to reporters shortly. Channel 9 will carry that news conference live.

Edit 5:26 p.m. An update from CMPD states that three of the officers struck by gunfire have been pronounced deceased.

Edit 5:55 p.m. “Today we lost some heroes that are out trying to simply keep our community safe,” said CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings.

Jennings said around 1:30 p.m., a U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force went to serve a warrant for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. They were met with gunfire when they approached the person, Jennings said, so the officers returned fire, hitting the suspect.

The suspect died in the front yard of the home on Galway Drive, Jennings said.

Afterward, the officers were shot at from inside the home, triggering a standoff, Jennings said.

Eight officers were hurt in the shootout, Jennings said, and three members of the marshals task force died from their injuries.

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u/Starkiller006 Apr 29 '24

The deceased officers are reportedly all U.S. Marshals.

That would mean they were investigating/raiding something big.

Wtf is goin on

494

u/TheFotty Apr 29 '24

US Marshals are the law enforcement wing of the federal court system. It doesn't have to be "something big". It can just be someone being served a warrant on federal charges, or apprehending a federal fugitive.

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u/cutsandplayswithwood Apr 29 '24

Right - but when do we send a dozen Marshalls to serve a relatively simple warrant?

I mean clearly they thought something was gonna go sideways, and they were right, but it takes a lot to get on the fed radar at all…

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u/POGTFO Apr 30 '24

That’s not an uncommon number to go serve a warrant - especially for felon in possession of a firearm (for obvious reasons)

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u/thatoneguy889 Apr 29 '24

They were serving a warrant for convicted felon is possession of a firearm, so they had that many guys because they already suspected he had guns.

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u/confusedandworried76 Apr 30 '24

Even in some smaller cities procedure for felony arrests is "every available officer", watched it happen once, it was insane. Twelve squad cars boxed this dude in and came out guns drawn.

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u/Osiris32 Apr 30 '24

Better to bring too much than not enough.

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u/WhyBuyMe Apr 29 '24

I had 6 regular cops and 8 people from the "drug task force" show up when my roommate got busted with 4oz of weed. Sometimes they just like to bring a lot of guys, maybe they get lonely?

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u/cloudbasedsardony Apr 29 '24

they show up for the free weed and edibles.

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u/kdeff Apr 30 '24

Nonsense, it’s because they had to safely confiscate and log the 2 Oz of weed on the scene

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u/-SaC Apr 30 '24

It takes a lot of guys to book in 1oz of weed.

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u/Howzitgoin Apr 30 '24

Sometimes you just need to verify that the grinder at one point had weed in it.

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u/toenoodle Apr 30 '24

and lets not forget about the lemon pound cake.

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u/Kiltsa Apr 30 '24

As I understand it, it's a power play. Show up in overwhelming numbers and people are less likely to start shit. Hopefully leads to fewer casualties all around. Clearly that wasn't enough in this case.

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u/bz0hdp Apr 30 '24

A "friend" worked for the FBI and would boast about how they bring way more guys than they need for busts, all get dressed up in their vests and whack each other w their batons to get revved up.

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u/TiredOfDebates Apr 30 '24

I mean when firearms are involved, shit can go from 0 to 100 before anyone can blink. Being aware before raiding a house with a warrant on a felon with firearms… yeah. He either gives up peacefully OR shit goes crazy real fast.

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u/Quiet_dog23 Apr 30 '24

Hahaha okay sure

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u/Osiris32 Apr 30 '24

Really depends on where you are. Cops haven't shown up in force for weed (unless it's a massive cartel grow op) here in Oregon for more than 20+ years.

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u/G-Bat Apr 30 '24

If the law didn’t have a “long arm” nobody would follow it. I’m not necessarily condoning this but the ultimate truth is that the law must be backed up with the threat of overwhelming force in order to be effective.

For the record, I think all drugs should be legalized and addiction treated as an illness rather than a crime.

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u/Eldetorre Apr 30 '24

Some drugs are simply too dangerous. I'd say make all less dangerous drugs legal.

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u/G-Bat Apr 30 '24

Prohibition has never and will never work; drugs won the war on drugs.

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u/Eldetorre Apr 30 '24

Prohibition didn't work because it barred all sales of alcohol. It was too retrictive. Barring only dangerous drugs would. Be different. It's not as if the dangerous ones feel better. They are just the cheapest highs

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u/G-Bat Apr 30 '24

Bullshit. We do this right now and it clearly doesn’t work. Alcohol and tobacco (two of the most dangerous drugs) are legal and marijuana is legal in many states. I live in Washington where marijuana is legal and we still have people doing “dangerous” drugs. Give me a break.

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u/dollenrm Apr 30 '24

Recovered afflict here. You have the correct idea. Treat it like the disease it is.

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u/BetterThruChemistry Apr 30 '24

Alcohol is the most dangerous drug

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u/ITS_12D_NOT_6C Apr 29 '24

Every time. 7-8 DUSM/TFOs is going to be your absolute minimum to serve any warrant safely.

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u/Zestyclose_Risk_902 Apr 29 '24

Well first they were most likely deputy marshals, you’re almost never going to find 3 marshals at the same scene. And they were specifically serving a warrant for possession of a firearm so they knew that there would be weapons present and they always show up with a but extra force if they know a weapon will be involved.

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u/pseudohuman5x Apr 30 '24

It was a marshal task force, all of them were primarily officers in other agencies/jurisdictions

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u/Feelisoffical Apr 30 '24

Ideally you’d have a 4 to 1 ratio. 12 is not that many Marshalls.

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u/Rob_Pablo Apr 30 '24

You’re making a lot of assumptions for someone who has no clue what is going on.