AR-15 found at site where police were fatally shot

Four law enforcement officers in North Carolina who were killed while trying to capture a man immediately faced gunfire as they approached, unable to withstand shots from upstairs in a house, authorities said Tuesday.

Still reeling from Monday’s attack — the deadliest against U.S. law enforcement officers since 2016 — investigators in Charlotte said they weren’t sure whether there was a second shooter and that more work was needed to determine what happened.

“Charlotte isn’t going to be the last place that this happens,” Mayor Vi Lyles said, “but Charlotte will be the place that will heal, that will heal with dignity and respect for everyone.”

A task force made up of officers from different agencies had arrived in the neighbourhood to try to capture Terry Clark Hughes Jr., 39, who was wanted for possession of a firearm by an ex-felon and fleeing to elude in Lincoln County, N.C.

Those killed were identified as Sam Poloche and William Elliott of the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections; CharlotteMecklenburg Officer Joshua Eyer; and Deputy U.S. Marshal Thomas Weeks. Four other officers were wounded in the shootout, and Hughes was also killed.

An AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, a 40-caliber handgun and ammunition were found at the scene.

An AR-15 is able to penetrate traditional body armour and allowed the shooter to “unload several rounds toward our officers within a matter of seconds,” said CharlotteMecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings.

He said more than 100 spent rounds were found, though it wasn’t clear how many of those were fired by the suspect. At least 12 officers also fired their weapons.