Four officers killed and four wounded in North Carolina shooting

Four police officers with a US marshals task force were shot and killed on Monday as they attempted to arrest a former convict suspected of illegally owning a firearm.

Multiple officers were wounded as they responded to the incident at a home in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Marshal’s Service confirmed one of its agents was killed. Two officers from the state Department of Adult Correction also were killed, said North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer Joshua Eyer died a few hours later in hospital, Johnny Jennings, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police chief, told US media.

Mr Eyer was named the officer of the month for the force for April a few weeks ago, the chief said.

“He certainty gave his life and dedicated his life to protecting our citizens,” Mr Jennings said.

One other member of the task force, which is made up of federal agents and other officers from across the region, was injured.

Three other Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers who responded to the scene were shot while trying to rescue the wounded officers.

Members of the US Marshals Fugitive Task Force were trying to serve a warrant for possession of a firearm on a former convict.

A gun battle broke out as the individual opened fire on the officers with a “high-powered rifle”. For two hours, police warned residents to stay in their homes and said members of the public should avoid the area.

Officers eventually shot the suspect dead in the front garden of the house. By that point, three marshals had been killed.

“We are very early in the investigation,” Mr Jennings added. “CMPD [Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department] will lead this investigation. We still have a lot to uncover, a lot of questions that are not answered right now.”

A woman and a 17-year-old male were found in the home after the stand-off that included armoured vehicles crashing into the suburban home in a tree-lined neighbourhood and tearing off doorways and windows. The two people are being questioned.

Major roads in the area were closed down to allow ambulances to take “multiple victims” to the hospital.

“Today, we tragically lost 3 US Marshals Fugitive Task Force members in the line of duty,” CMPD said in a statement issued on social media.

“Five additional officers were struck by gunfire. This includes four CMPD officers and an additional officer from an assisting agency. One of our CMPD officers is still in critical condition.

“The heroic actions of these officers are a testament to the dangers our law enforcement officers face daily.

“Today, some of our fellow colleagues made the ultimate sacrifice for the safety and protection of our community. We are grateful for the bravery shown by all officers.”

Neighbours said gunfire continued for several minutes after the shooting erupted.

WSOC-TV said their helicopter captured an armoured vehicle driving through yards and knocking over recycling bins before officers removed a person with blood on their shirt who was then loaded into an ambulance.

After the home was cleared, the helicopter pilot said he couldn’t show the front lawn of the home because the scene was too disturbing.

Several armoured vehicles were on nearby lawns and driveways of the older suburban neighbourhood of a tree-lined street with brick homes. A shattered window, blinds torn, was in a street and a entire doorway was leaning against of one of the vehicles.

Many roads in the area including Interstate 77 were closed so ambulances could get to hospitals more quickly. TV footage showed ambulances speeding to hospitals with several vehicles with sirens on both in front and behind them.

Kiashia Williams was driving home when she heard several shots separated by a few seconds.

“Ambulances, police and everything everywhere just started rushing down,” Ms Williams said as she waited in her car to be allowed to go home and check on her daughter, who broadcast what she saw on social media.

Four Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools were placed on lockdown around afternoon dismissal, but that was lifted in the late afternoon, the district said.

Police urged people to stay away from the neighbourhood and asked residents to remain inside their homes.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said he was in contact with law enforcement in Charlotte and offered any state resources to help.

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 Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force is headquartered in Charlotte with 70 federal, state and local agencies. Fugitive task forces are collaborations between agencies to find and arrest suspects in crimes.

In six years, the regional task force has apprehend more than 8,900 fugitives, the US Marshals Service said on its website.

In March 2007, two Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers were killed responding to a domestic dispute by someone not directly involved in the fight. Demeatrius Antonio Montgomery is serving a life sentence in the killings of officers Jeffrey Shelton and Sean Clark.