Tragedy struck as four law enforcement officers lost their lives and four others sustained injuries while executing a warrant in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, on Monday.
Reports from BBC indicate that officials discovered at least one suspected assailant dead in the front yard of a barricaded residence following a three-hour standoff.
The incident involved two armed suspects and has been labeled as one of the deadliest attacks on US law enforcement in recent history.
The officers were part of a task force led by the US Marshals Service and were trying to serve a warrant against a felon wanted for illegal possession of a firearm when gunfire erupted on the quiet suburban street.
Speaking on the tragic event, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief, Johnny Jennings, mentioned that the officers engaged in a gunfight with an assailant in the front yard before facing additional shots fired from inside the house.
Chief Jennings expressed, “Today we mourn the loss of heroes who were simply carrying out their duty to ensure the safety of our community.”
He also highlighted that this was the most devastating attack on law enforcement officials that he could recall during his 30-year tenure in the force.
The US Marshals Service officially confirmed the death of one of its officers during the operation.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper sadly reported that two of the fallen officers belonged to the state’s Department of Adult Corrections.