MONROE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — An 18-year-old man was killed after shooting at Monroe officers, which sent one to the hospital, early Saturday morning, according to the Monroe Police Department.
Around 1:45 a.m., a Monroe Police Officer was driving on Old Charlotte Highway when they noticed a suspicious vehicle near Rocky River Road. Officials said the driver took off, and the officer started a pursuit.
Less than five minutes later, officers successfully used stop sticks, ending the chase on Goldmine Road near River Chase Drive. The suspect, 18-year-old Joshua Hayden Sikes, opened fire and struck a female officer multiple times. She was taken to a local hospital and is now in stable condition, police said.
Sikes ran into a heavily wooded area, which started an ‘extensive manhunt’ with K9s, a drone, and help from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s helicopter.
Shortly before 4 a.m., officers found Sikes, who used a rifle to shoot at officers. Law enforcement shot back, killing Sikes.
“This suspect intended to kill our officer, and by the grace of God, she’s alive right now. Everyone on our team followed their training and acted decisively to stop a deadly threat. We stand firmly behind their actions and are grateful that our officer will eventually be able to go home to her family,” Monroe Police Chief Rhett Bolen said.
A heavy police presence was on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Saturday morning during the investigation.
Hours after the pursuit, around 6 a.m. on Saturday, deputies with the Union County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home in the 2000 block of Astoria Drive in Indian Trail about a man who had been shot inside the residence. When they arrived, they found 23-year-old Alvin Parson dead from a gunshot wound.
Detectives connected Sikes to the homicide, however, he was not identified as a suspect in this case during his pursuit and shootout with law enforcement. According to the Union County Sheriff’s Office, Sikes is believed to have fled the scene in the same vehicle officers attempted to stop around 1:45 a.m.
Investigators believe Sikes was trying to escape after murdering Parson when he encountered Monroe Police officers, which led to his death and an officer being hospitalized.
“Today’s tragic events are a stark and sobering reminder of the daily risks faced by law enforcement officers. ‘Routine’ law enforcement activity can turn violent in an instant, as
demonstrated by the calculated actions of this suspect,” Union County Sheriff Eddie Cathey said. “Our hearts go out to the family of Alvin Parson, whose life was senselessly taken, and to the brave Monroe Police officer who was injured while protecting our community. These acts of violence underscore the courage, training, and constant vigilance required of our law enforcement personnel, and their unwavering commitment to stand in defense of our citizens.”
The State Bureau of Investigation is handling the officer-involved shooting investigation, which is standard procedure, officials said. Meanwhile, the Union County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating Parson’s homicide.
Watch the full press conference from the Monroe Police Department here:
Source: Fox 8 News Channel
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