Bath Echo

Traffic & Travel

President Biden consoles families of law-enforcement officers gunned down in Charlotte

daily echo traffic and travel

CHARLOTTE – President Joe Biden reprised his familiar role as consoler-in-chief on Thursday as he met privately with the families of four police officers killed in a shooting earlier this week in North Carolina.

Biden was already scheduled to travel to Wilmington, North Carolina, to deliver a speech on rebuilding infrastructure and creating good-paying jobs. The White House added a stop to Charlotte to his itinerary.

Biden met with family members at the North Carolina Air National Guard base, situated at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, where Biden stopped for more than two hours during his North Carolina swing. It was not immediately clear how long Biden met with the families.

The four officers were killed Monday when a gunman with a high-powered rifle opened fire on them from the second floor of a residence while a task force made up of officers from several agencies was attempting to serve a felony warrant in Charlotte. Multiple officers were hit, and the other task force members called in reinforcements.

As local police arrived and began to rescue the downed task force members, more gunfire came from the house and additional officers were struck, police said.

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

Killed were Sam Poloche, 42, and Alden Elliot, 46, both with the state's Department of Adult Correction; Deputy U.S. Marshal Thomas M. Weeks Jr., 48, of Mooresville, North Carolina; and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Officer Joshua Eyer, 31.

Four other officers were wounded in the attack.

More: Investigators continue piecing together Charlotte shooting that killed 4 officers

The gunman, identified as 39-year-old Terry Clark Hughes Jr., exited the house with a firearm and was shot by police. He was pronounced dead on the front lawn.

In a statement on Monday, Biden described the fallen officers as “heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice, rushing into harm’s way to protect us.” The death of a police officer is “like losing a piece of your soul,” he said.

Biden's meeting with the families of the slain officers in Charlotte also included officers wounded in the shooting, along with other law enforcement officers and elected officials.

Biden has been forced to take on the role of consoler-in-chief multiple times during his presidency, comforting the families of hurricanes, tornados and other natural disasters, along with the victims of mass shootings in cities ranging from Buffalo to Las Vegas and Uvalde, Texas to Lewiston, Maine .

Contributing: Joey Garrison. Michael Collins covers the White House. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @mcollinsNEWS.

COMMENTS

  1. Daily Echo

    Read more articles. Travel news for Southampton and Hampshire, including the International Airport, M27, M3 and bus and train services.

  2. Bank Holiday traffic delays in Hampshire

    Traffic. Hampshire. By Jose Ramos. Share. Holiday traffic is causing delays across the area. The A31, Lyndhurst and the M3 are particularly congested. Read live updates here. Share. The mass ...

  3. Southampton traffic warning with three cruise ships in port

    — Southampton Travel (@scchighways) May 2, 2024 Through its travel Twitter page, the council has also warned drivers to expect some roads and areas to be flooded after heavy showers and thunder ...

  4. Southampton traffic updates as delays spread across city

    Our live feed has now finished. Traffic delays are building in Southampton. Cruise ships coming into port, the Bank Holiday and sunny weather are all contributing factors. Send in your traffic photos to [email protected]. Share. TRAFFIC is building on Southampton's roads due to cruise ships, the Bank Holiday and sunny weather.

  5. Southampton weekend traffic warning: Saints game and cruises

    St Mary's Stadium and P&O Britannia (Image: PR/PA) The city council has issued a travel warning ahead of a Saints game and cruise ships arriving this weekend. Saints are due to play against Stoke ...

  6. Live traffic & travel news for Southampton

    Find Public transport - live disruptions in Southampton. Listings of Public transport - live disruptions in Southampton and the surrounding area. From Daily Echo

  7. Live traffic & travel news for Hampshire

    A27 Cams Hill Fareham. Find All incidents in Hampshire. Listings of All incidents in Hampshire and the surrounding area. From Daily Echo.

  8. Live traffic & travel news for Southampton

    A27 Cams Hill Fareham. Find All incidents in Southampton. Listings of All incidents in Southampton and the surrounding area. From Echo.

  9. Traffic

    Traffic. Live. Emergency. 7. Car flips over in crash outside The White Swan pub. Traffic. 5. Hedge End crash causes major delays for drivers near Charles Watts Way Traffic. 1. ... Daily Echo Daily Echo Sport Daily Echo Sport This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's Editors' Code of Practice

  10. Live traffic & travel news for Eastleigh

    A27 Cams Hill Fareham. Find All incidents in Eastleigh. Listings of All incidents in Eastleigh and the surrounding area. From Daily Echo.

  11. Live traffic & travel news for Southend-on-sea

    Share. Find All incidents in Southend-on-sea. Listings of All incidents in Southend-on-sea and the surrounding area. From Echo.

  12. Live Traffic and Travel for the Isle of Wight

    It will tell you about the latest road closures, roadworks and delays across the Island for the next 2 weeks. If you scroll down a little further you will find this week's official traffic ...

  13. Traffic & Travel news from the Echo

    Traffic & Travel news from the Echo. News Traffic & Travel Local News Today Nostalgia Crime Business. Updated.

  14. Live traffic & travel news for Bournemouth

    Woodside Road West Moors. Find All incidents in Bournemouth. Listings of All incidents in Bournemouth and the surrounding area. From Bournemouth Echo.

  15. Live traffic & travel news for Darlington

    Live Traffic. Within. Change. Filter by: All Engineering works Road works Updating traffic Public transport - live disruptions. Order by: Apply Filter. There are currently no traffic incidents to ...

  16. Live traffic & travel news for Newcastle

    A1058 Jesmond Road Newcastle Upon Tyne. Find Latest traffic news in Newcastle. Listings of Latest traffic news in Newcastle and the surrounding area. From The Northern Echo.

  17. M27: Live updates as lanes closed due to incident

    Our live feed has now finished. Several lanes of the M27 have been closed due to an incident. It is affecting traffic westbound between Junctions 8 and 9. Read our live updates here. Share. Several lanes of the M27 have been closed, according to traffic reports.

  18. Bath Traffic & Travel

    Live Bath traffic and travel news for the City of Bath area. Find out about incidents, delays, congestion & more. Covering local roads, trains & buses. ... About the Bath Echo | Your City, Your News. We're your local independent newspaper covering news and events across beautiful Bath and the close surrounding villages. We're here to help keep ...

  19. Live traffic & travel news for Bournemouth

    A347 New Road Parley Cross. Find Latest traffic news in Bournemouth. Listings of Latest traffic news in Bournemouth and the surrounding area. From Bournemouth Echo.

  20. Biden consoles families of police officers gunned down in Charlotte

    Biden was already scheduled to travel to Wilmington, North Carolina, to deliver a speech on rebuilding infrastructure and creating good-paying jobs. The White House added a stop to Charlotte to ...

  21. Live traffic & travel news for Dorchester

    South Court Avenue Dorchester. Find All incidents in Dorchester. Listings of All incidents in Dorchester and the surrounding area. From Dorset Echo.