Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Letter From Birmingham Jail

Floor Speech

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Mr. TILLIS. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the lives of four brave law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty on Monday, this week, in North Carolina--actually, in a community that is only about 20, 30 minutes from my home. It is the community of Charlotte, and the entire State of North Carolina is shocked and devastated by the deadly assault on law enforcement.

They were just showing up to do their job. It was the deadliest attack on law enforcement our Nation has seen in nearly a decade, and it is profoundly tragic that it happened in a city and a State that I love.

Young families are grieving; their lives are forever changed; and their fellow law enforcement officers are grieving. Charlotte- Mecklenburg Police lost a beloved officer, the U.S. Marshals Service lost a dedicated colleague, and the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction lost two of their longtime colleagues.

This tragedy was the result of one of the most important, yet very dangerous, responsibilities of our law enforcement officers: executing an arrest warrant. Early Monday afternoon, a task force of Federal, State, and local law enforcement, led by the U.S. Marshals Service, attempted to serve an arrest warrant for a fugitive at a residence in Charlotte. The fugitive had a long criminal record and was wanted for possession of a firearm by a felon and two counts of felony fleeing to elude law enforcement.

Instead of surrendering to law enforcement, the fugitive opened fire, and he shot eight law enforcement officers at the scene. Four officers were tragically killed, and four more were injured and had to be transported to the hospital, one in critical condition.

Police Officer Joshua Eyer served 6 years with CMPD. Before that, he served more than a decade in the Army National Guard. As a CMPD officer, he was already making his mark. The chief down in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, Johnny Jennings, remembered that it was just recently that he was in the very room he did the press conference to announce the tragic events Monday that he was congratulating Officer Eyer for becoming Officer of the Month in April.

He certainly dedicated his life, and he gave his life on Monday, serving the people of Charlotte. Officer Eyer is survived by his wife and his 3-year-old son.

Another officer--two, actually--Sam Poloche and Alden Elliott were 14-year veterans of the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction. Poloche joined the department's Special Operations and Intelligence Unit in 2013. He was a husband and father to two boys: one who is about to graduate high school, another one about to graduate from college. Officer Poloche's father said ``his main purpose in life was his family.'' He was a man who showed extraordinary kindness, even to perfect strangers.

Alden Elliott joined the Special Operations and Intelligence Unit in 2016. His colleagues remember him as a serious and dedicated law enforcement officer who had a great sense of humor. One of his friends in Charlotte honored his sacrifice by writing:

My best friend was killed in the line of duty while serving a warrant to a felon with multiple convictions. He was a marine, father, and hero to me. He was protecting Charlotte.

Elliott is survived by his wife and child.

U.S. Marshals Service Deputy Thomas Weeks, Jr., age 48, was a husband and father of four children. He was a 13-year veteran of the Marshals Service and an 8-year veteran of Customs and Border Patrol.

Deputy Weeks led the team that executed the warrant of the suspect. A district judge who Weeks protected said:

The thing that comes to mind with him is not only his competence at what he did, but his demeanor. Everybody remembers [Weeks] and his smile. He enjoyed his job, and he was good at it.

Mr. President, these four officers were all heroes who protected and served the public. They were loving family men who tragically left behind wives and children.

Susan and I are praying for these four families, and I cannot imagine what they are going through. I want them to know that all of Charlotte, the whole of North Carolina, and our Nation is proud of them for their service, and we regret their loss. We will be forever grateful for their courage, their service, and their ultimate sacrifice.

May God bless the families, friends, and colleagues of these fallen officers and give them the strength they need during this difficult time.

Mr. President, may God bless and protect the brave men and women who serve in law enforcement.

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