THANKS
THANKS FOR STAYING SARAH FRENCH. WE WANT TO GET RIGHT TO THAT
LATEST ON THE TRAGIC S+@HOOTING
THAT CLAIMED THE LIFE OF LOCAL
POLICE OFFICER TYLER HERNDON.
HE WAS KILLED IN A SHOOT OUT
JUST DAYS BEFORE HIS TWENTY
SIXTH BIRTHDAY.
DOZENS OF HIS COLLEAGUES
FORMING A PROCESSION IN THE
MOMENTS AFTER HIS DEATH
ESCORTING HIS BODY FROM THE
HOSPITAL TO THE MEDICAL
EXAMINER'S OFFICE.
THE CHIEF OF POLICE CALLING
OFFICER HERNDON A GREAT MAN AND
A HERO HOLDING BACK TEARS AS HE
SPOKE ABOUT THE IMPACT ON THE
DEPARTMENT WILL OUR DEPARTMENT
IS HURTING OUR FAMILY IS
HURTING BUT WE WILL RELY ON
EACH OTHER TO GET THROUGH THIS
AND NEW TONIGHT.
>> WE ARE GETTING A LOOK AT
VIDEO FROM A DOORBELL CAMERA
THAT CAPTURED THE SOUND OF
GUNFIRE AS HERNDON AND SECOND
OFFICER A SECOND OFFICER RATHER
CONFRONTED THIS BURGLARY
SUSPECT TONIGHT THAT SUSPECT
JOSHUA FUNK IS IN JAIL FACING A
FIRST DEGREE MURDER CHARGE.
CONDOLENCES FOR OFFICER
HERNDON'S FAMILY AND COLLEAGUE
POURING IN FROM ALL ACROSS THE
CAROLINAS TONIGHT.
THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE
POSTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND OUR
LAUNA HARRIS HAS MORE.
LORNA?
>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY.
IT'S A REALLY SAD DAY HERE AT
THE MOUNT HOLLY POLICE
DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMUNITY
FEELS IT TOO.
BEHIND ME THERE HAVE BEEN MANY
,MANY PEOPLE COMING BY TO
PLACE FLOWERS ON THAT POLICE
CAR IN HONOR OF OFFICER
HERNDON.
WE GOT THE VIDEO FROM A LITTLE
BIT EARLIER AS YOU CAN SEE IT
BETTER.
BUT AGAIN, HE'D BEEN WITH THIS
DEPARTMENT FOR LESS THAN TWO
YEARS AND THE MAYOR EVEN SPOKE
TODAY SAYING HE WASN'T JUST A
GOOD OFFICER BUT A GOOD MAN.
BUT WHEN YOUR PHONE RINGS AT
FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING,
YOU KNOW IT'S NOT GOOD.
AND BRIAN HUFF, THE MAYOR OF
NOT HOLLY SAYS DURING A 25 YEAR
OLD OFFICER HAD BEEN KILLED IN
THE LINE OF DUTY WAS SURREAL.
>> I WAS SHOCKED.
>> HONESTLY, I WAS NO SAT DOWN
AND I JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE I'D
JUST GOTTEN OR RECEIVED A CALL
OF THAT NATURE.
SAYS OFFICER TYLER HERNDON IN
PARTICULAR WAS THE BEST OF MEN.
I KNOW THAT HE GOES AND GETS
GAS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE STRANDED
ON THE SIDE ROAD OUT OF HIS OWN
+@ POCKET.
+@ POCKET. I KNO+@W HE CHANGES TIRES FOR
PEOPLE.
>> OFFICER HERNDON IS A GAS AND
COUNTY NATIVE GRADUATED FROM
KING'S MOUNTAIN HIGH AND WAS
SUPPOSED TO CELEBRATE HIS 26
BIRTHDAY ON SUNDAY WITH HIS
TWIN SISTER.
>> HE IS A HERO.
HE SERVED THIS COMMUNITY WELL.
OUR COMMUNITY IS LESS RIGHT NOW
BECAUSE WE'VE LOST HIM.
>> POLICE CHIEF DON ROPER+@ SAID
THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT IS
HURTING ESPECIALLY THE THREE
OFFICERS WHO WERE RESPONDING TO
THE IN WITH HIM.
THEY ARE DEVASTATED AND
GRIEVING VERY, VERY MUCH AND
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE
CARE OF THEM.
>> THE COMMUNITY STOPPED BY THE
DEPARTMENT THROUGHOUT THE DAY
TO LAY FLOWERS AND PRAYERS FOR
THE MAN WHO LOST HIS LIFE
PROTECTING THEIR STAFF.
IT'S A SHAME NOW THE MAYOR SAYS
THAT THEY HAVE BEEN GETTING A
LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW
PEOPLE CAN HELP AND THEY ARE
+@
LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW PEOPLE CAN HELP AND THEY ARE ASKING PEOPLE TO PUT A BLUE
LIGHT ON THEIR PORCH JUST IN
SUPPORT OF THE BLUE.
AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE COMING
UP WITH A WAY FOR+@ THE COMMUNIY
TO HONOR OFFICER HERNDON AND
GIVE SUPPORT TO THE FAMILY
+@
TO HONOR OFFICER HERNDON AND GIVE SUPPORT TO THE FAMILY HERE, NOT HOLLY.
I'M HONORED HARRIS TO BE SANTEE
CHARLOTTE ALANA.
THANK YOU .
THE DEADLY SHOOTOUT HAPPENED AT
THE MOUNT HOLLY CARWASH.
THAT'S ALONG HIGHWAY 273 NEAR
INTERSTATE 85 WC NC CHARLOTTE'S
BRANDON GOLDNER CONTINUES OUR
+@ TEAM COVERAGE LIVE AT THE SCENE
WITH THE VERY LATE+@ST ON THE
INVESTIGATION.
BRANDON.
INVESTIGATION. BRANDON. WELL, SARA, IT'+@S NOW BEEN 16
HOURS ABOUT SINCE BAYTI DRIVE
273 SHUT DOWN AS INVESTIGATORS
CONTINUE THEIR INVESTIGATION
BEYOND THOSE BLUE LIGHTS.
THAT'S WHERE THE CAR IS A
+@
BEYOND THOSE BLUE LIGHTS. THAT'S WHERE THE CAR IS A BRIGHT YELLOW AND BLUE BUILDING
AND MANY PEOPLE OUT HERE REMAIN
+@
BRIGHT YELLOW AND BLUE BUILDING AND MANY PEOPLE OUT HERE REMAIN SHOCKED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED.
>> IT TOOK PAMELA SPENCER A FEW
MOMENTS TO REALIZE THAT WAS
+@ GUNFIRE IMMEDIATELY HEARD
AMBULANCE SIRENS IMMEDIATELY.
>> I JUST SAW I SEE A BLUE AND
RED.
IT WAS IT WAS INSANE.
I MEAN THEY IMMEDIATELY STOPPED
THAT.
THEN I SAW POLICE OFFICERS
WALKING THROUGH ALL THE
NEIGHBORS YAR+@DS COMING THROUGH
MINE.
>> MOUNT HOLLY POLICE SAY WHAT
SPENCER+@ HEARD WAS A SHOOTOUT
BETWEEN OFFICER TYLER HERNDON
AND HIS FELLOW OFFICERS AND
JOSHUA FUNK WHO WAS SUSPECTED+@
OF BREAKING AND ENTERING INTO
THIS CAR WASH.
THIRTY THREE OFFICERS SHOT
FIRST FINDING EMERGENCY TRAFFIC
WAS AFTER SHOT.
THE BUILDING IS DOWN ABOUT THE
FIRST OFFICER HONES IN DIED
PARAMOUNT REGIONAL MEDICAL
CENTER AND GAS STONIER.
>> FUNK IS CHARGED WITH FIRST
DEGREE MURDER.
NOW HOLLY AND GUESTS AND COUNTY
POLICE ARE HANDLING THE
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION ON FUNK
WHILE THE SBI WILL BE
INVESTIGATING THE OFFICER
INVOLVED SHOOTING ITSELF.
>> SPENCER NEVER THOUGHT HER
NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD BECOME THE
SCENE OF A VIOLENT ACT.
>> SO TERRIBLE, SO TERRIBLE AND
SO, SO SORRY ABOUT THAT.
OH MY GOD.
I FEEL SO BAD FOR THE FAMILY.
>> TO NOW HOLLY POLICE OFFICERS
GASTON COUNTY POLICE OFFICER
ARE ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE AS
PER USUAL WHEN IT COMES TO
THESE TYPES OF INCIDENTS.
THEY WERE A PART OF THAT
INCIDENT.
WE DO KNOW A THIRD INDIVIDUAL
WAS ALSO INJURED AS A RESULT OF
THIS.
BUT WE DON'T YET KNOW WHO THAT
INDIVIDUAL WAS OR WHAT SORT OF
IN+@JURIES THAT THEY SUSTAINED.
WE'RE ALSO STILL WAITING TO+@
CONFIRM THE FIRST COURT
APPEARANCE