WASHINGTON, United States: Three U.S. law enforcement officers were killed and five others were wounded Monday in a shooting while serving a warrant at a home in southern North Carolina, officials said.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) wrote on social media that at least one suspect was found dead on the property after being shot by officers following a standoff that lasted about three hours.
The Department of Justice confirmed that a deputy marshal and two members of the task force were killed in the incident.
CMPD said on social media that five other officers were also shot and that a local police officer was in “critical condition.”
CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings told reporters that around 1:30 p.m. local time (17:30 GMT), the law enforcement officials were met with gunfire while serving a warrant on a convicted felon wanted for possessing a firearm.
Jennings said officers returned fire and hit one person, who was later pronounced dead, before facing more gunfire from inside the home.
He said after the fight, police officers cleared the place and found a 17-year-old boy and a woman inside, who were taken to the police station as “persons of interest”.
Jennings said the incident was “an absolutely tragic day for the city of Charlotte and law enforcement.”
Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement that the Justice Department was “heartbroken by the deaths of three of our law enforcement colleagues.”
US President Joe Biden was briefed on the incident and “expressed his condolences and support to the community,” the White House said.
