Law enforcement’s use of lethal force against a gunman in North Carolina, who killed four officers and injured four others in April, has been deemed justified by a prosecutor. Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather released a report stating that the officers who fatally shot Terry Clark Hughes Jr. did so in defense of themselves and others during the incident in Charlotte, marking the deadliest attack on law enforcement in the U.S. since 2016. The report highlighted the chaotic situation where Hughes, 39, opened fire on officers serving arrest warrants at his residence.
Merriweather emphasized that the responding officers had to use lethal force to counter an imminent deadly threat. The district attorney’s office conducted interviews with the officers present during the shooting, which involved 12 Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers discharging their weapons. Body camera footage and physical evidence, like the number of rounds fired – 29 by Hughes and 340 by officers, were considered in the assessment.
The report detailed the events of the standoff that resulted in the deaths of four officers: Sam Poloche and William Elliott from the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Officer Joshua Eyer, and Deputy U.S. Marshal Thomas Weeks. Hughes had retreated into his home and started shooting at officers from an upstairs window when the state fugitive task force arrived to execute arrest warrants on April 29. The investigation revealed that the officers were targeted at various locations surrounding the property.
As Hughes leaped from the window into the front yard, he was instructed by officers to drop his weapon. Ignoring commands, Hughes was shot 12 times and killed. Autopsy results confirmed the extent of his injuries. It was discovered that he was armed with additional ammunition and an unused pistol. The investigation disclosed that 23 officers had fired at Hughes during the incident. The prosecutor’s report indicated that none of the deceased officers had discharged their weapons before being shot.
Following Hughes’ death, his girlfriend reported her and her daughter’s presence in the residence to authorities. Subsequent investigations concluded that they were not involved in the shooting of the officers.
