CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police has identified the officers involved in a shooting that occurred during a traffic stop on February 11.
Officers Ryan Alberts, Ellis Wilcox, and Lucas Jayne, all from the Steele Creek Division, fired their weapons after perceiving ‘an imminent deadly threat’ from the suspect, CMPD said.
The suspect, identified as Erik Lopez Hernandez, 21, was struck during the encounter and transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries at that time.
Hernandez was later charged with attempted murder on a law enforcement officer and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. He has since been released from the hospital and transferred to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office.
The officer-involved shooting took place around 2 a.m. in the 7000 block of South Blvd. after multiple traffic stop attempts. When Hernandez exited his vehicle, CMPD said officers perceived a threat and responded. No officers were injured during the incident.
It’s still unclear what exactly Hernandez did prior to shots being fired.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) is leading the investigation, with additional oversight by CMPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau. Officers involved in the shooting have been placed on paid administrative leave pending the investigation.
Anyone with additional information about this incident is urged to contact CMPD at 704-432-8477 or Charlotte Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.
