Morning Shootout Leaves North Carolina Police Officer Dead

CHARLOTTE, NC — Authorities have identified an officer killed in a predawn shootout west of Charlotte, along with the gunman who shot him as police departments around the Charlotte metro expressed condolences.

The incident occurred around 3:30 a.m. at the Mount Holly Car Wash, located at 313 Beatty Drive in Mount Holly, North Carolina.

According to police accounts, officers arrived at the business in response to a report of a commercial breaking and entering in progress. Responding officers encountered an armed suspect, who was later identified as Joshua Tyler Funk, 24.

"During the encounter, several shots were fired between the subject and several Mount Holly police officers in addition to a Gaston County police officer, who responded to the incident," Mount Holly Police Department said in a statement.

During the exchange of gunfire, Mount Holly officer Tyler Avery Herndon, 25, was shot. He was transported with serious injuries to Caromont Main Hospital, where he later died. No other officers that were injured during the incident.

Officer Herndon had been an officer with the Mount Holly Police Department for less than two years, MHPD said.

Funk, the suspect, was also injured in the volley of gunfire and was transported to Caromont Hospital for treatment of minor injuries before he was released and transported to Gaston County Jail.

Funk was charged with murder, and is being transported to the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office, where he will remain in custody, MHPD said.

Two Mount Holly officers and one Gaston County police office who were also at the scene during the incident have been placed on administrative leave. "As is standard procedure with any officer-involved shooting, the Internal Affairs Bureau with the Mount Holly Police Department will conduct a separate but parallel investigation to determine whether department policies and procedures were followed during the incident," MHPD said.