How to support victims of Charlotte, North Carolina police shooting; community mourns

Iris Seaton, Asheville Citizen Times
·3 min read

The Charlotte, North Carolina, community has come together to support affected families in the aftermath of Monday's gunfight, which left multiple law enforcement officers dead.

The standoff broke out Monday afternoon when officers arrived at a Charlotte home to serve warrants against Terry Clark Hughes Jr., who fired on officers with a high-powered rifle, according to police in the USA Today story. Hughes was shot dead on the front lawn in the standoff and left eight officers shot and four dead from their injuries.

Since the announcement of the information, officials and community members have come together to support the families of the deceased officers.

Flowers in memory of fallen law enforcement officers accumulate at the base of a flag pole outside the Federal Courthouse on April 30, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Four members of law enforcement were shot and killed the previous day while serving a warrant at a residence in Charlotte.
Flowers in memory of fallen law enforcement officers accumulate at the base of a flag pole outside the Federal Courthouse on April 30, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Four members of law enforcement were shot and killed the previous day while serving a warrant at a residence in Charlotte.

More: Charlotte, North Carolina shootout leaves 4 officers dead, 4 officers injured; What we know

Memorials for fallen officers

Memorials to honor the officers wounded and killed during the standoff have been established. Many have placed flowers in front of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department building and Federal Courthouse in Charlotte in memory of the slain officers, photos from the scenes show.

Reports from USA Today said that these sites and the crime scene have also received supportive visitors, including Rev. Raymond Johnson, associate pastor of the Mount Pisgah Baptist Church in Marion, S.C., who said he was moved by his faith to drive to Charlotte.

Johnson stood on the front lawn of the partially destroyed home and waved signs that read “Praying for Peace” and “Praying for Everyone." Johnson said he was present on behalf of family members of his congregation who live in the area.

A Tuesday vigil at Little Rock A.M.E. Zion Church drew visitors, including Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, members of the Charlotte City Council, and others.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper ordered U.S. and NC flags at state facilities to be lowered to half-staff until sunset on Friday, May 3, to honor the slain officers.

An interfaith vigil was held at Little Rock AME Zion Church in Charlotte, April 30, 2024, to honor four Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers killed in the line of duty.
An interfaith vigil was held at Little Rock AME Zion Church in Charlotte, April 30, 2024, to honor four Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers killed in the line of duty.

More: Why are flags flying at half-staff in North Carolina?

Charlotte community sees local and national support

The support for Charlotte hasn't been limited to local solidarity. Lyles said she received calls from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Biden also released a statement on Monday in which he called the officers "heroes," saying he and First Lady Jill Biden would pray for their families and recovering officers.

"They are heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice, rushing into harm’s way to protect us," the president said in his statement. "We mourn for them and their loved ones. And we pray for the recoveries of the courageous officers who were wounded."

From left, William Elliott, Samuel Poloche, Joshua Eyer and Thomas Weeks. All three men were among four officers who were killed on Monday during an incident that broke out when officers attempted to serve a warrant at a house in Charlotte, North Carolina, authorities said.
From left, William Elliott, Samuel Poloche, Joshua Eyer and Thomas Weeks. All three men were among four officers who were killed on Monday during an incident that broke out when officers attempted to serve a warrant at a house in Charlotte, North Carolina, authorities said.

More: Charlotte community mourns loss of officers in deadly shooting: 'No apologies for my tears'

Multiple fundraisers established for those affected by the shooting

Fundraisers established so far include:

The Rev. Raymond Johnson, associate pastor of the Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church in Marion, South Carolina, carries flowers onto the front lawn of a home partially destroyed by law enforcement on April 29, 2024, during an incident in which four law enforcement officers, including three on a U.S. Marshals Task Force, were killed and four other officers were injured after being shot while attempting to serve a warrant in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Lawmakers call for bans on assault weapons

USA Today reporting said that lawmakers have rallied for a ban on assault weapons in response to the deadly shootout. Several Charlotte City Council members, Mecklenburg County Commission members, and Rep. Alma S. Adams were all present during a Tuesday night vigil.

Adams told USA Today that assault weapons like the high-powered rifle used by the suspect in the Monday standoff "do not belong on our streets."

“We need to turn our anguish into action … I’m calling on leaders in Congress, my colleagues, to not forget what happened here in Charlotte,” Adams said while addressing the vigil.

"I’m calling on them to join me. We need to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and require safe storage of guns. And (we need) to pass universal background checks and a National Red Flag Law.”

Authorities used a battering ram attached to an armored vehicle to tear off the front of a Charlotte, North Carolina, home that was the site of a shooting incident in which four law enforcement officers were killed while attempting to serve a warrant on April 29.
Authorities used a battering ram attached to an armored vehicle to tear off the front of a Charlotte, North Carolina, home that was the site of a shooting incident in which four law enforcement officers were killed while attempting to serve a warrant on April 29.

Christopher Cann, Trevor Hughes, N'dea Yancey-Bragg and Ryley Ober, USA TODAY Network, contributed to this report.

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Memorials, fundraisers for Charlotte, NC officers killed in shooting