Terry Clark Hughes Jr., career criminal id as East Charlotte shooting suspect who fatally gunned down 4 officers with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department during the serving of a warrant as questions surround whether he should he have been out in the first place.
A 39 year old man with a lengthy criminal history has been identified as the individual who opened gunfire on North Carolina police officers tasked with serving the man with a warrant for unlawfully possessing a firearm and and felony flee to elude.
Terry Clark Hughes Jr, 39, is alleged to have shot at a U.S Marshall and two other police officers who had arrived at his East Charlotte residence just on 1.30pm, Monday afternoon to serve him the warrant only to be met with a volley of gunfire as the man barricaded himself inside a residence and shot at law officers.
Second shooter?
The stand off which led to Hughes eventually being shot dead in the front yard led to a total of four officers being fatally shot and the questioning of two individuals inside the residence, a 17 year old male and a woman, who were not considered suspects in the shooting.
Of note, authorities recovered an AR-15 rifle and .40-caliber handgun at the residence located in the area of the 5000 block of Galway Dr.
Additional magazines and ammunition for both firearms were also recovered from the scene, where there are believed to have been more than 500 projectiles and casings, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings.
As of Tuesday the identity of the woman and 17 year old inside the residence was not released, with CMPD Chief Jennings saying that neither individual had been charged and were fully cooperating with law officials.
Nevertheless, CMPD Chief Jennings said authorites were ‘not ruling out the possibility that someone else was firing as well.’
𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞:
Three officers have been killed in the shooting in East Charlotte (One U.S. Marshal and two local police officers).Additional footage was taken by a woman in her house near the shooting. pic.twitter.com/uBEZZkT6pJ
— RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) April 29, 2024
Lengthy criminal rap sheet
Offered CMPD Police Chief Jennings during a press conference: ‘When [officers] approached Hughes they were met by gunfire and returned the gunfire, striking Hughes, who was found deceased in a yard,’ Jennings said. ‘Officers then received “additional gunfire” originating from within the home. However, it remains unclear which officers were struck by the bullets and how many officers were injured overall.’
Hughes had a lengthy rap sheet and was wanted on charges of possession of a firearm by a felon and felony fleeing to elude in Lincoln County before he was shot dead during the incident Monday, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police.
North Carolina state records show Hughes previously convicted of breaking and entering in Person County, which is north of Raleigh-Durham, in 2010. He spent approximately six months in prison before being released in May 2011, WCNC reported.
Hughes was arrested in June 2012 after a high-speed chase in Alamance County. Deputies said Hughes led them on a chase at speeds over 100 mph after turning around to avoid a checkpoint. At the time, he was wanted on several warrants in numerous counties for failing to appear in court. He spent nearly a year in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and speeding to elude arrest.
Should East Charlotte shooting suspect been out?
Hughes was arrested by CMPD on multiple drug charges in May 2021. He was also charged with fleeing or eluding arrest with a motor vehicle. He was released from jail hours later, records show.
Asked about whether Hughes should have been on the streets, given his criminal record, CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings said: ‘I know this individual did serve a significant amount of time in jail and had been released, but I can give you hundreds of examples of people that I feel like should not be out preying upon his citizens…Our system is not completely where it needs to be.’
The four law enforcement personnel killed in the incident were identified as Deputy U.S. Marshal Thomas Weeks Jr., 48; North Carolina Department of Adult Correction veterans Sam Poloche and Alden Elliott; and CMPD officer Joshua Eyer who died hours later after mortally succumbing to his injuries. Eyer was named the officer of the month for the force for April a few weeks ago, the chief said.
Polche and Elliot were both officers from the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections, serving with the US Marshal’s office.
Twelve Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers fired their service weapon during the incident and have been placed on administrative leave, per protocol, amid an investigation into the shooting, the chief said.
In the aftermath of the 3.5 hour violent stand-off, the suburban Charlotte home was torn open. Armored vehicles smashed into it, ripping off windows and entire doorways that were left broken along with several armored vehicles parked across yards, as investigators now begin to sift through evidence.
