COLFAX, N.C. – A tragic incident unfolded in Colfax, North Carolina, when a police officer was shot and killed while trying to intervene in a robbery at a gas station.
Officer Philip Nix confronted two men and a woman who were attempting to steal beer worth $83 from a Sheetz gas station. In the confrontation, the officer was shot and despite immediate aid from an off-duty officer and a paramedic, Nix succumbed to his injuries after being taken to a nearby hospital.
Following the shooting, police apprehended the suspects – Jamere Foster, 18, Z’quriah Blackwell, 18, and John Morrison, 28. Foster was charged with first-degree murder, larceny, and conspiracy to commit larceny, while Morrison and Blackwell were charged as accessories to first-degree murder.
The arrest warrants revealed that Blackwell allegedly assisted Foster during his escape and urged him to leave the scene, stating that he had just killed a cop. Additionally, the suspects were reported to have discussed selling stolen merchandise and destroying evidence related to the crime.
The three suspects are scheduled to appear in court, where they will face the charges brought against them.
This tragic incident has left the community in mourning and serves as a reminder of the dangers law enforcement officers face while carrying out their duties. The loss of Officer Nix has deeply impacted his family, colleagues, and the broader law enforcement community.