Three US police officers shot dead in home siege

Three US police officers shot dead in home siege

Three law enforcement officers have been fatally shot and five others were wounded while serving a warrant in Charlotte, North Carolina, officials say.

At least one suspected attacker was found dead in the front yard of a barricaded home after a standoff that lasted three hours, police said.

Authorities said two shooters were involved in the attack.

The injured officers were part of a US Marshals Service-led task force.

The officers were attempting to serve a warrant for a felon wanted for possessing a firearm when gunfire erupted on the suburban street.

They returned fire at an assailant in the front yard, then more shots were fired at them from inside the home, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings told a news conference.

Shots were still ringing out more than two hours after the attack began on Monday in a residential area in the east of the city.

Residents were asked to shelter in place and nearby streets were closed to facilitate ambulance rescues. Several nearby schools were placed on lockdown during the standoff.

On X, formerly Twitter, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department asked people to “steer clear of the area”.

“Residents stay inside of your homes,” they said. “Multiple victims transported to nearby hospitals.”

According to local network WSOC-TV, one US Marshal is among the dead law enforcement officers.

The attack ended when police stormed the home on Galway Drive.

Two other people who were inside the home with a suspect were being questioned, said police.

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said in a statement she was “deeply saddened by the shooting that occurred that involved Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers and US Marshals today”.

“I ask that all Charlotteans keep them, the other injured officers, and their families in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time,” she added.