NOW. LAINEY. THANK YOU. YEAH, LET'S GET BACK TO CHARLOTTE TONIGHT WHERE WE KNOW MULTIPLE OFFICERS WERE WERE SHOT EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON. ONE PIECE OF INFORMATION WE HOPE TO LEARN TONIGHT FROM THIS PRESS CONFERENCE. AS YOU SEE, CITY LEADERS AND AUTHORITIES MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE PODIUM, IS HOW MANY OFFICERS WERE INJURED AND THE AGENCIES THOSE OFFICERS BELONGED TO. AND WE SEE HERE VI LYLES, THE MAYOR, IS THERE AS LONG ALONG POLICE CHIEF JOHNNY JENNINGS. AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE ABOUT TO BEGIN. SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND LISTEN IN CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT HERE IN CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE THIS AFTERNOON AS WE HAVE WORKED THROUGH THE SITUATION THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH TODAY. THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT CHARLOTTE. OUR CHARLOTTE COMMUNITY, HAS EXPERIENCED A TRAGEDY TODAY AND IT'S ONE THAT AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY, WE ALWAYS KNOW IT'S POSSIBLE, BUT WE NEVER EXPECT IT NEVER GETS EASIER. WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR BEST TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS TODAY, TO PROVIDE DETAILS TO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THE EVENTS OF THIS AFTERNOON, BUT I DO IMPLORE YOU TO UNDERSTAND. THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH TRAGIC LOSS OF LIFE TODAY. AND AND THAT LOSS OF LIFE IS VERY FRESH. THERE'S DETAILS THAT WE DO NOT KNOW. THERE'S QUESTIONS THAT WE FRANKLY JUST AREN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER. UM, WE WILL TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS. UH, BUT FIRST, THE CHIEF OF POLICE FOR THE CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT, JOHNNY JENNINGS, IS GOING TO COME AND GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION AND SHARE HIS THOUGHTS. I'LL SPELL THAT FOR YOU. JOHNNY, IS J O H N NY LAST. NAME IS JENNINGS J E N N I N G S AFTER CHIEF JENNINGS. THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF CHARLOTTE. VI LYLES IS GOING TO COME AND SHARE HER THOUGHTS. VI VI LYLES L Y L E S CHIEF. THANK YOU, LIEUTENANT. TODAY IS AN ABSOLUTE TRAGIC DAY FOR THE CITY OF CHARLOTTE AND FOR THE PROFESSION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. TODAY WE LOST SOME HEROES THAT ARE OUT TO JUST SIMPLY TRYING TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE. I'M GOING TO TRY TO GO THROUGH A SERIES OF EVENTS OF HOW THIS ALL OCCURRED AND PLAYED OUT, AND THEN TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, UH, ABOUT THE INJURIES AND THE THINGS THAT WE HAD TO ENDURE TODAY AS A, AS A PROFESSION AND AS A CITY. SO ABOUT 1:30 P.M. THIS AFTERNOON, AN THE US MARSHALS FUGITIVE TASK FORCE WENT TO THE 5000 BLOCK OF GALWAY AVENUE AND ATTEMPT TO SERVE A WARRANT ON AN INDIVIDUAL FOR POSSESSION OF FIREARM BY A CONVICTED FELON WHEN THEY APPROACHED THAT INDIVIDUAL, THEY WERE MET WITH GUNFIRE. OFFICERS RETURNED GUNFIRE AND STRUCK THE VICTIM, WHO WAS LATER PRONOUNCED DECEASED, IN THE FRONT YARD OF THE RESIDENCE. AS OFFICERS APPROACHED THAT INDIVIDUAL, THEY WERE, THEY THEN RECEIVED ADDITIONAL GUNFIRE FROM INSIDE OF THE RESIDENCE, SO AFTER A LONG STANDOFF, WE WERE ABLE TO CLEAR THIS RESIDENCE AND CONFIRM THAT THERE WERE TWO ADDITIONAL PEOPLE INSIDE. THEY WERE BOTH BROUGHT TO THE POLICE STATION AS PERSONS OF INTEREST, AND WERE TRYING TO DETERMINE NOW WHAT EXACTLY OCCURRED INSIDE OF THE RESIDENCE. TRAGICALLY, THERE WERE THREE MEMBERS OF THE US MARSHALS TASK FORCE WHO WERE PRONOUNCED DECEASED AND THERE WERE THERE WERE FOUR CMPD OFFICERS WHO WERE SHOT, ONE BEING IN CRITICAL CONDITION, WHO IS NOW IN THE HOSPITAL FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE. A TOTAL OF EIGHT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WERE SHOT BY THIS BY THE SUSPECTS IN THIS HOUSE. SO WE ARE VERY EARLY IN THE INVESTIGATION. CMPD WILL LEAD THIS INVESTIGATION. UH, WE STILL HAVE A LOT TO UNCOVER, A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT ARE NOT ANSWERED RIGHT NOW. SO PLEASE RESPECT THE FACT THAT I WON'T BE ABLE TO ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE. UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE GOING TO DILIGENTLY WORK ON THIS TO ENSURE THAT THAT WE BRING A RESPECT TO THESE OFFICERS AND THESE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS THAT LOST THEIR LIVES TODAY. AND THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE TRY TO TELL PEOPLE EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT WHEN WE PUT ON THIS UNIFORM, UM, THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY GUARANTEES THAT WE'LL RETURN HOME. BUT YET WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT MEN AND WOMEN ACROSS THIS ENTIRE COUNTRY THAT DO IT EVERY SINGLE DAY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE SAFE IN YOUR COMMUNITIES. SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MAYOR VI LYLES. SHE WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS. I'M JUST GOING TO PUT THIS MIC DOWN. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOUR DAY IS GOING TO BE LIKE. YOU CAN'T PLAN THINGS LIKE THIS TO BE IN THIS SPACE AT THIS TIME. WE'VE LOST THREE PEOPLE. THEY LOST THEIR LIVES AFTER THEY GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN A SAFE PLACE. AND THEY LOST THEIR LIVES. THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT CARE DEEPLY ABOUT WHAT THEY'VE DONE FOR OUR PROFESSION AND NOW TODAY, WE HAVE TO SAY TO THEM HOW MUCH WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE. WE WANT KNOW VERY MUCH ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED UNTIL THERE INVESTIGATION IS DONE. BUT I KNOW THIS ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY. OUR COMMUNITY STANDS UP FOR PEOPLE. THEY STAND UP FOR ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT WORK F FOR US, THAT MAKE IT POSSIBLE. ALL OF OUR OFFICERS, IF YOU HAD A LITTLE BIT OF PROBLEM DRIVING AROUND TODAY, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WAS TOO WORRIED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A REASON FOR THIS, AND THERE'S A REASON THAT EVERYTHING HAPPENS AND SOMETIMES WE DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. BUT AT THIS POINT, I KNOW THAT THIS COMMUNITY WILL SEEK UNDERSTANDING. I KNOW THAT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL SEEK UNDERSTANDING. I WANT TO SAY THIS, UM, WE'RE VERY, VERY MUCH GRATEFUL TODAY. I HEARD FROM THE WHITE HOUSE ABOUT THE LOSS OF OUR OFFICERS AND AND THE SITUATION THAT WE WERE HAVING TO ADJUST TO. I'VE HEARD FROM, UM, CONGRESSWOMAN ADAMS AS WELL AS CONGRESSWOMAN KAREN AND JEFF JACKSON ON THE WAY OVER HERE, THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, TIM MOORE, AND THE PRESIDENT OF OUR STATE SENATE, PHIL BERGER, THEY ALL TALKED ABOUT WHAT CAN THEY DO TO HELPLP US NOW, WE MAY NOT KNOW WHAT HELP WE NEED RIGHT NOW, TODAY, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT WHEN PEOPLE REACH OUT TO SAY THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS IMPORTANT, THAT HAS HAPPEND AND THEY WANT TO BE A PART OF WHATEVER WE DO, BECAUSE THERE WILL BE A TIME THAT WE WILL COMMEMORATE THESE PEOPLE THAT LOST THEIR LIVES. YOU THINK ABOUT IT, YOUR FATHER, FOR YOUR HUSBAND, YOUR FRIEND, YOUR NEIGHBOR, ALL OF THEM WERE ONE PERSON LIKE THAT. AND TODAY THEY'RE NOT GOING HOME. YOU KNOW, THREE PEOPLE, ALL. LOST THEIR LIVES TODAY. AND THE MOST THAT I CAN ASK OF OUR COMMUNITY IS THAT WE HONOR AND RESPECT THEM FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE, ALL THE WORK THAT WE WILL DO TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR OUR CITY TO BE SAFER. EVERY ONE OF US WANTS TO BE IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY GOT YOU. GET UP. THTHIS MORNING AND GET TO COME BACK HOME AND SOMEONE DIDN'T. TODAY. KEEP YOUR PRAYERS, KEEP YOUR FAITH, MAKE SURE THAT THESE OFFICERS WHO HAVE FAMILIES HAVE PEOPLE TO REACH OUT AND HOLD THEM UP BECAUSE THEY WILL NEED THIS. AND WE ARE A CITY THAT WILL MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO BE THIS WAY, TO BE ABLE TO LIVE AND KNOW THAT WE HONOR AND RESPECT THE LOSS THAT THEY HAVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS TIME. THANK YOU.U. MAYOR. I WANT TO TAKE JUST A MOMENT, JUST TO CLARIFY. UM, THERE WAS A TOTAL OF FOUR CMPD OFFICERS THAT WAS STRUCK BY GUNFIRE TODAY AND FOUR TASK FORCE OFFICERS. THAT'S A TOTAL OF EIGHT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHO WERE WHO WERE STRUCK BY GUNFIRE TODAY. UM, I WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE TO RECOGNIZE THE THE PEOPLE STANDING BEHIND US HERE TODAY. THE FIRST RESPONDER COMMUNITY, THE GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT THAT STAND BEHIND ME. THIS IS A COMMUNITY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. AND IT'S INCREDIBLE THE BOND THAT WE HAVE. AND IT'S DEMONSTRATED IN NO OTHER WAY LIKE IT IS IN MOMENTS OF CRISIS AND MOMENTS OF TRAGEDY, LIKE THE ONE THAT OCCURRED TODAY. SO TO RECOGNIZE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WITH ME TODAY, WE HAVE THE CHARLOTTE FIRE DEPARTMENT MEDIC HOME, UH, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS, US MARSHALS, MECKLENBURG COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, NORTH CAROLINA HIGHWAY PATROL, AND I SURE HOPE I DIDN'T LEAVE ANYBODY OFF THE LIST. BUT FOR SURE, UM, ON THEIR BEHALF, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING G HERE. AND, UM, ON BEHALF OF ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT THEY REPRESENT WHO ANSWER THE CALL, ESPECIALLY. WHEN TRAGEDY STRIKES, I WANT TO I WANT TO THANK THEM. UM, ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE, CHIEF, CHIEF JENNINGS AND, UH, MAYOR, LIARS OR VARIABLE? JENNY, SHE MENTIONED THAT THE MARSHALS WERE SERVING A WARRANT FOR A CONVICTED FELON WITH THE WEAPON. YES, THAT THEY'RE GOING INTO A SITUATION WHERE THEY KNOW THAT SOMEONE HAS A WEAPON. HOW DOES THAT CHANGE THE WAY THAT THEY RESPOND. IF AT ALL? WELLLL, IT CERTAINLY CHANGES THE RESPONSE. THE QUESTION IS, HOW DOES IT CHANGE THE RESPONSE WHEN YOU'RE GOING INTO A RESIDENCE WHERE SOMEONE HAS A HISTORY OF HAVING A WEAPON? UH, AND LET ME JUST BE CLEAR, THE US MARSHALS SERVICE, UH, THEY'RE FUGITIVE TASK FORCE IS COMPRISED OF SURROUNDING AGENCIES. SO THERE ARE MULTIPLE AGENCIES THAT ARE INVOLVED. WITH THE FUGITIVE TASK FORCE, WITH THE MARSHAL SERVICE. UH, THE CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT IS A MEMBER OF THE US MARSHALS. UH, TASK FORCE AS WELL. UM, SO. SO ANYTIME YOU ARE DEALING WITH SOMEONE WHO IS A CONVICTED FELON AND WHO HAS BEEN CAUGHT PREVIOUSLY WITH A FIREARM, IT DOES RAISE CONCERNS AND RAISE AWARENESS WHEN YOU ARE RESPONDING. SO. SO, UM, WHEN THEY DO THAT, THE PART OF THE REASON THE TASK FORCE IS SUCH AN IMPERATIVE, PART OF WHAT WE DO EVERY SINGLE DAY IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE EXTENSIVE TRAINING AND THEY TRAIN TOGETHER TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THESE KINDS OF SITUATIONS IS IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE, UH, SOMETHING THAT'S ON THE FOREFRONT OF THEIR THOUGHT PROCESS. WHEN YOU'RE GOING AFTER CHARLOTTE'S MOST DANGEROUS PEOPLE. UH, AND UNFORTUNATELY, TODAY WITH SOMETHING TRAGIC THAT WE NEVER WANT TO SEE, I NEVER WANTT TO STAND IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY, UH, TO TALK ABOUT AN INCIDENT SUCH SOMETHING THIS TRAGIC. IT'S IT'S REALLY HEARTBREAKING. YES. ONE GASTON AGENCY, THE OTHER. YOU KNOW, I'M NOT READY TO TELL YOU. ALL OF THE AGENCIES. WHAT I CAN CONFIRM IS THAT FOUR CMPD OFFICERS WERE SHOT. UH, ONE CMPD OFFICER IS IN VERY CRITICAL CONDITION AT THIS POINT. UH, WE DO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, FAMILY MEMBERS AND ALL OF THEM ARE NOTIFIED, SO I'M NOT GOING TO RELEASE, WHICH AGENCIES THEY WERE WITH, WITH THE TASK FORCE. CAN YOU CLARIFY THE NUMBER OF. SO THE QUESTION IS THE NUMBER OF SHOOTERS WE ARE RIGHT NOW, WE BELIEVE THERE ARE TWO SHOOTERS INVOLVED. UH, AGAIN, WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE OF INTEREST AT THE POLICE STATION THAT ARE BEING QUESTIONED RIGHT NOW. AND WE HAVE CONFIRMED THAT THE INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS, UH, SET UP THAT WE WERE SERVING THE WARRANT ON WAS THE INDIVIDUAL WHO FIRED THE INITIAL SHOTS AND WAS DECEASED IN THE FRONT YARD. UH, AT THE END OF ALL OF THIS. SO BESIDES THE ONE IN CRITICAL CONDITION, HOW WERE THE OTHER OFFICERS? DO THEY THE OTHER OFFICERS BESIDES THE OFFICER? THAT'S IN CRITICAL CONDITION? THE OTHER OFFICERS ARE STABLE. UH, THE DEGREE OF INJURIES ARE VARYING ANYWHERE FROM A GRAZE WOUND TO A TO A WOUND THAT REQUIRES A LITTLE BIT MORE ATTENTION. BUT THEY ARE STABLE AND EXPECTED TO BE OKAY. AND CAN YOU SAY IF ANY OF YOUR OFFICERS WHO ARE SHOCKING THIS, WERE THEY RESPONDING PATROL OFFICERS, WERE THEY SWAT OFFICERS? YES. I CAN CONFIRM THAT WE DO HAVE A WE DO HAVE A SERGEANT WHO IS ASSIGNED TO THE TASKSK FORCE, WO WAS ON THE SCENE. UH, THAT OFFICER IMMEDIATELY CALLED FOR HELP. THE THREE OFFICERS OR THE FOUR OFFICERS THAT WERE SHOT, OUR OFFICERS WHO WERE RESPONDING TO THE SCENE, CHIEF JENNINGS WITH. I'LL GET TO YOU. YES. YES, SIR. YES. UM, CAN YOU JUST TELL US WHAT FIREARMS THE SUSPECT HAD WHEN YOU WERE ABLE TO GET INTO THAT HOUSE? WERE THERE ANY OTHER FIREARMS THAT STILL EARLY TO TELL. RIGHT NOW WE'RE STILL DOING THE INVESTIGATION IN THE HOUSE. I CAN'T TELL YOU. IT WAS A HIGH POWERED RIFLE THAT WAS INVOLVED ON THE SUSPECT END. YEYES, SIR. UH, FIRST OF ALL, MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU. THANK YOU. U.S. MARSHALS. UM, WHAT DO WE SAY ABOUT THE BRAVERY OF THE OFFICERS WHO RESPONDED TO THE SCENE, KNOWING THAT THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN BLUE WERE ACTIVELY BEING SHOT? THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. SO THE BRAVERY OF OUR OFFICERS THAT RESPONDED TO THE SCENE, KNOWING THAT THEY'RE GOING INTO GUNFIRE, IS WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR MANY YEARS, IS IS IN THE FACE OF DANGER. OUR PEOPLE STEP UP AND THIS PROFESSION STEPS UP. AND THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE DEFINED AS DOING BECAUSE WE THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE GOING INTO AND STILL. STILL HELD THEIR OWN AND ATTEMPT TO APPREHEND THIS SUSPECT. BUT THEY KNEW THAT THEY HAD OFFICERS THAT. NEEDED HELP, THAT NEEDED TO BE EXTRACTED FROM THAT LOCATION. YET THEY WENT IN, SOME GETTING SHOT THEMSELVES AS A RESULT. SO. THE BRAVERY, THE HEROISM, UH, EVERYTHING. THAT GOES DOWN WITH THAT DEFINES WHAT OUR PROFESSION IS, OUR PEOPLE DEMONSTRATED THAT TODAY. AND I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF THE RESPONSE I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE AT EVERY SINGLE LEVEL OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, EVERY SINGLE LEVEL OF PUBLIC SAFETY. I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE PHONE CALLS, THE TEXT MESSAGES, UH, THE SUPPORT AND AS YOU HEARD, LIEUTENANT PETRUS SAY, OR THE MAYOR SAY THAT A LOT OF IT IS. WHAT DO YOU NEED? HOW CAN WE HELP? AND IT JUST, UH, IN TIMES LIKE THIS, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED IN IN THESE SITUATIONS. CHIEF, IN TERMS OF OTHER SURROUNDING AREAS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW MANY, MAYBE FROM OTHER COUNTIES HELPED OUT OR FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES HELPED OUT? YEAH. SO THE THE QUESTION IS, HOW MANY OTHER AGENCIES ARE WITH THE FUGITIVE TASK FORCE OR JUST THE RESPONDED? UM, SO SO THE FUGITIVE TASK FORCE, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBERS WITH CHARLOTTE HAS ONE MEMBER, UH, ON THE FUGITIVE FUGITIVE TASK FORCE AS A SERGEANT, BUT MAINLY THE SURROUNDING AGENCIES WITHIN OUR, UH, WITHIN OUR SURROUNDING CITIES AND. TOWNS ARE MEMBERS OF THAT. AND WE CAN GET YOU THOSE NUMBERS. EXACTLY WHAT WHO WHO WAS INVOLVED ACTUALLY HELPED OUT RESPONDING TO THIS, WHETHER IT WAS, YEAH, PROVIDING THEIR FARE CARD OR WHATEVER. YEAH. SO SO THE OFFICERS WHO RESPONDED TO HELP OUT, UM, ALL THE FEDERAL AGENCIES WERE ON THE SCENE WITH ME AND, UH, STATE AGENCIES. THE MECKLENBURG COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE WAS THRE AS WELL. UM, WE HAD AGENCIES FROM PINEVILLE, UH, TO DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT TOWNS WITHIN OUR, OUR COUNTY. UH, THEY SENT OFFICERS IN TO ANSWER OUR CALLS FOR SERVICE BECAUSE WE WERE WE OBVIOUSLY, YOU CAN IMAGINE THE MANPOWER NEEDS THAT IT WAS TO SECURE THAT SCENE AND TO DO THE TRANSPORTS. SO SO THEY WERE VERY HELPFUL TO ENSURE THAT WE DID NOT LET OUR CITIZENS DOWN IN RESPONDING TO THOSE CALLS FOR SERVICE. AND THEY WERE VERY HELPFUL IN THAT. SO GRANDCHILDREN IN THE HOUSE AT THE TIME OF THIS, UH, WHILE WHILE WE WERE WARREN WAS NO CHILDREN IN THE HOUSE, THERE WAS ONE JUVENILE THAT WE DID GET OUT OF THE HOUSE, THOUGH. YES, THE HIGH POWERED RIFLE WILL PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION ON THE TYPE OF AMMUNITION WAS USED BY THE SUSPECT OR SUSPECTS. NOT RIGHT NOW. THE TYPE OF AMMUNITION THATAT'S STILL PART OF THE INVESTIGATION. UH, ALL OF THAT WILL HAVE TO BE, UH, BE LOOKED AT AS FAR AS WE, WHEN WE GET INTO THE HOUSE. ALSO RECOVER ANY PROJECTILES THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AS TAKEN OUT AS TREATMENT TO THE OFFICERS. SO THERE'S A THERE'S A LOT THAT WE STILL HAVE TO UNCOVER. WE'RE NOT THERE YET. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE CHOICE OF THE TIME TO EXECUTE THIS ONE, GIVEN THAT THE SCHOOL'S IN SESSION, WAS THAT TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AS TO WHETHER THIS WAS AN APPROPRIATE TIME? SO THE QUESTION IS WHETHER THIS WAS AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO SERVE A WARRANT. UH, I WILL I WILL TELL YOU HOLD ON. I WILL SAY WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A FELON WHO HAS PROPENSITY TO CARRY A FIREARM, THERE IS NO GREAT TIME TO DO IT, WHETHER IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT OR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY. UH, THE INTEREST IN THE FUGITIVE TASK FORCE WAS TO ENSURE THAT THIS PERSON WAS BROUGHT TO JUSTICE AND TAKEN OFF THE STREETS, AND UNFORTUNATELY, HE HE DECIDED THAT HE WOULD IS GOING TO RESPOND TO THAT BY GUNFIRE AT OUR OFFICERS. YES, MA'AM. HAVE ANY PRIOR HISTORY OR CALLS REGARDING HIS PLACE OF RESIDENCE? I DO NOT RIGHT NOW, BUT THE HISTORY OF THIS RESIDENCE, THE HISTORY OF THE INDIVIDUAL, ALL OF THAT WILL BE RELEASED VERY SOON. WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT. WE DO HAVE A LOT OF FAMILY NOTIFICATIONS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE IN ORDER TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. UH, ABOUT THIS INDIVIDUAL. SO. RIGHT NOW, SHELTER IN PLACE. YEAH. SO THE QUESTION IS, IS RIGHT NOW, IS THE SHELTER IN PLACE OPEN? IS THE AREA OKAY TO TO GO BACK TO NORMAL DUTIES? YES. WE'RE GOING TO BE AT THE RESIDENCE PROCESSING THE CRIME SCENE. UH, PROBABLY FOR SEVERAL HOURS. BUT AS FAR AS THE LOCKDOWNS AND CLOSURE OF ROADS AND ALL OF THAT, WE HAVE OPENED THAT BACK UP. THE HOUSE HAS BEEN SECURED BY OUR OFFICERS, HAS BEEN CLEARED. UH, AND NOW NOW COMES THE TEDIOUS TASK OF ENSURING THAT WE COLLECT THE EVIDENCE AND PROCESS THE SCENE. YES. TO CONFIRM WITH YOU, YOU SAID ONE SUSPECT WAS SHOT IN THAT FRONT YARD. YOU MENTIONED THERE WERE TWO MORE PEOPLE INSIDE THAT HOUSE THAT ARE NOW IN CUSTODY. YES. THOSE TWO PEOPLE, THE ADDITIONAL SHOOTER, OR WAS THERE A SECOND VICTIM OR ONE OF THOSE SUSPECTS? YEAH. SO THE QUESTION IS ABOUT THE TWO OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE WHO CAME OUT OF THE HOUSE LATER. UH, UH, WE CAN'T I CAN'T CONFIRM RIGHT NOW WHETHER WHICH ONE OR IF EITHER ARE THE SUSPECTS IN THE ADDITIONAL SHOTS THAT WERE FIRED. UH, WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT WE HAD THE HOUSE SECURED. UM, AND IT WAS THE PERIMETER WAS SECURE, AND WE CONTINUNUED TO TE GUNFIRE FROM INSIDE THE RESIDENCE. AND AFTER WE CLEARED THE RESIDENCE, THERE WERE ONLY TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT CAME OUT, UH, ONE, UH, 17 YEAR OLD JUVENILE AND THEN ANOTHER FEMALE WHO WAS TAKEN OUT AS WELL. SO THERE IS ONLY ONE SUSPECT THAT IS DECEASED. ONE SUSPECT IS DECEASED? YES, CHIEF. UH, DO YOU KNOW, DO YOU KNOW IF THIS IS THE DEADLIEST LAW ENFORCEMENT DAY IN MECKLENBURG COUNTY OR CHARLOTTE HISTORY? I CANNOT. I'VE BEEN. I'VE BEEN WITH THE CHARLOTTE MECKLENBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR 32 YEARS. UH, I CAN'T REMEMBER AN INCIDENT WHERE THREE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, UH, WERE. AND ALSO THREE THAT WERE KILLED IN THE SAME INCIDENT, AS WELL AS ONE IN IN CRITICAL CONDITION AND ADDITIONAL THAT WERE SHOT, UH, AND INJURED. SO, UM, UH, TO ME, IT'S IT'S THE MOST TRAGIC ONE THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN. I DON'T KNOW, HISTORICALLY. I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT THERE'S ONE THAT'S THAT'S ANY WORSE THAN WHAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY. WHAT ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT YOUR INVESTIGATORS WILL BE WORKING TO ANSWER IN THE COMING DAYS, WEEKS AND MONTHS? WELL, A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ANSWERED, WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THOSE QUESTIONS ARE RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE TO GET A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF WHY THIS OCCURRED. UH, AND ALSO TO UPHOLD THE INTEGRITY OF THE INVESTIGATION. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CHECK ALL THE BOXES THAT WE NEED TO SO THAT WE CAN GET A FULL PROSECUTION IN THIS CASE, IF AND WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THAT, UH, WE KNOW SOME ANSWERS, BUT WE STILL HAVE MANY THAT WE HAVE TO, UH, CLEAR UP AND AND MANY THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO, UH, TO WORK ON UNTIL WE CAN REALLY LOCK DOWN WHAT HAPPENED, WHO WAS INVOLVED, UH, AND MOVE ON FROM THERE. SO SOCIAL MEDIA REACHED OUT TO YOUR DEPARTMENT. HAVE YOU HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM, AND IF SO, WHAT WAS TALKED ABOUT? I DID I SPOKE WITH THE GOVERNOR. UH, EARLIER TODAY. HE BASICALLY ASKED ME, WHAT DO I NEED? HE'S HERE TO SUPPORT, UH, CERTAINLY APPRECIATIVE OF OF THE PHONE CALL WITH HIM. UH, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, I KNOW HE WOULD BE HERE IF HE COULD. RIGHT NOW, HE'S ON HIS WAY TO COME AND SPEAK WITH US. BUT, UM, I DID SPEAK WITH HIM THIS AFTERNOON. OUR PRAYERS ARE FOR THE FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY. UM, I AM A EAST CHARLOTTE RESIDENT SINCE 1975. I APPRECIATE WHAT THE POLICE OFFICERS DO IN OUR COMMUNITY. LEE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE EAST CHARLOTTE COMMUNITY. UM, PRAYERFUL THAT THERE WILL BE AN INCREASE OF THE POLICE PRESENCE IN OUR AREA IN EAST CHARLOTTE. YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT, I'M CONCERNED MAINLY WITH TAKING CARE OF THE OFFICERS, TAKING CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES. UH, AND ALL OF THAT COMES INTO PLAY LATER ON. HOW DO WE RESPOND TO THIS COMMUNITY? BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO KEEP THEM SAFE. UH,, WE HAVE A LOT OF BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN OUT THERE THAT ARE GOING TO CONTINUE WORKING IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO, UH, UH, WORK IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CITIZENS. SO, YES, I'LL TAKE THREE MORE QUESTIONS. YEAH. OF THE CMPD OFFICERS WILL RESPOND. ANY INJURED? HOW MANY OF THOSE OFFICERS WERE PART OF THAT? UM, TASK FORCE AND HOW MANY WERE RESPONDING TO THE SHOTS? OKAY, ALL OF THE OFFICERS FROM CMPD THAT WERE INJURED WERE RESPONDING TO THE SCENE. THE ONE OFFICER, THE ONE SERGEANT THAT WE HAVE ASSIGNED TO THE TASK FORCE WAS NOT INJURED. YES. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TOTAL OFFICERS WERE THERE SERVING THE WARRANT. SO I DON'T HAVE THAT. THAT'S THAT'S FROM THE US MARSHALS. UH, TASK FORCE THAT THEY THEY HAD THEIR, UH, CONTINGENCY OF THEIR TASK FORCE OUT THERE. THEY'RE DOING THIS WARRANT SERVICE. YES. MY CONDOLENCES FOR YOU AND THE POLICE FORCE. UH, DEFINITELY FEEL LIKE THIS IS A BAD, TRAGIC SITUATION THAT SHOULD NEVER TAKE PLACE. UM, IN REGARDS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND JUST CITIZENS THROUGHOUT THIS, THROUGHOUT THE STATE. UM, WHAT CAN YOU SAY? COULD BE A BENEFIT. LITTLE STEP THAT COULD BE TAKEN BETWEEN THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE POLICE ENFORCEMENT AND WHETHER IT COULD BE JUST CITIZENS, FELONS OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, WHAT COULD BE DONE TO BRIDGE THE GAP SO A LEVEL OF THIS SITUATION WILL NEVER TAKE PLACE? WELL, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU. WHATEVER GAP THERE IS, THIS LEVEL SHOULD NEVER GET TO THIS PLACE, RIGHT? I MEAN, YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE HATE IN YOUR HEART THAT YOU POSSIBLY CAN HAVE THAT SHOULD NEVER RESULT IN TAKING A LIFE AND MUCH LESS TAKING MULTIPLE LIVES. SO THE CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT AND EVERY AGENCY YOU SEE BEHIND ME HAS A PRIORITY TO TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE THE BEST COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN. BUT A LOT OF THAT ALSO MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO BE MET HALFWAY ON CERTAIN THINGS. SO, SO, UM, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. AND LIKE I SAID, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO KEEP YOUR COMMUNITY SAFE. SO THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I'LL ASK. ANSWER FOR NOW. SO THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. UM, WE DO NEED YOUR SUPPORT AND WE DO NEED YOUR PRAYERS BOTH FOR OUR OFFICERS AND THE OTHER OFFICERS INVOLVED AND FOR AND FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND AND FOR THOSE IMPACTED IN OUR COMMUNITY IN OTHER DIFFERENT WAYS. SO, UH, STAY TUNED TO CMPD PUBLIC AFFAIRS. OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS AND PRESS RELEASES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING OUT. WE'LL KEEP YOU UP TO DATE ON ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE AS WE GET IT. THANK YOU. WELL, WE ARE COVERING A DARK DAY OUT OF CHARLOTTE. EIGHT MEMBERS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT WERE SHOT, THREE OF THEM ALL WITH US MARSHALS SERVICE HAVE BEEN KILLED. AND THERE'S ALSO AN OFFICER IN CRITICAL CONDITION IN THE HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW FOR CMPD OFFICERS WERE SHOT. ONE OF THOSE IS THE ONE IN CRITICAL CONDITION. AND THIS ALL HAPPENED AS THEY WERE SERVING A WARRANT ON AN INDIVIDUAL FOR POSSESSION OF A FIREARM BY A CONVICTED FELON. OF COURSE, THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY, AND WE ARE HEARING FROM A LOT OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. FOR EXAMPLE, GOVERNOR COOPER POSTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA, QUOTE, I AM IN CONTACT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT CONCERNING THIS TRAGIC SHOOTING IN THE CHARLOTTE AREA, AND WE HAVE OFFERED STATE RESOURCES TO HELP US. SENATOR THOM T TILLIS POSTED AN ATTACK IN CHARLOTTE ON OUR BRAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHO SWORE AN OATH TO PROTECT AND SERVE US ALL. SUSAN AND I ARE PRAYING FOR EVERYONE'S SAFETY. WE WILL, OF COURSE, CONTINUE TO PROVIDE LIVE UPDATES ON THIS SHOOTING THROUGHOUT THE EVENING. YOU CAN ALSO FIND THE L
