President Joe Biden is set to travel to North Carolina on Thursday to meet with the families of four officers who were tragically killed earlier this week in the deadliest attack on U.S. law enforcement since 2016. The president will visit Wilmington and add a stop in Charlotte to meet with local officials and the families of the officers who lost their lives while serving a warrant.
The officers were part of a task force attempting to apprehend 39-year-old Terry Clark Hughes Jr. on warrants for possession of a firearm by an ex-felon and fleeing to elude in Lincoln County, North Carolina. Tragically, Hughes was also killed in the incident. Four other officers were wounded in the shootout, and various weapons were recovered at the scene.
The fallen officers were identified as Sam Poloche and William Elliott of the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Officer Joshua Eyer, and Deputy U.S. Marshal Thomas Weeks. President Biden expressed his condolences and emphasized the need to support law enforcement officers by providing necessary resources and taking action to address gun violence.
Following the attack, a local police chief confirmed that one of the injured officers underwent surgery and is expected to recover fully. The injured officer, Cpl. Casey Hoover of the Statesville Police Department, was shot in the upper torso but is now in stable condition.
Law enforcement officials are continuing their investigation to determine the sequence of events and whether Hughes acted alone or with an accomplice. Hughes had a criminal record in North Carolina dating back over a decade, including convictions for various offenses.
This tragic incident marks the deadliest day for U.S. law enforcement since 2016 and has prompted calls for action to enhance officer safety and address gun violence.
