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Police have released the names of the individuals and the officer involved in a shooting that happened outside a bar in Hickory.
Police say the first armed suspect encountered by officers has been identified as Khyren Rashaad Lawerence of Jacksonville, Florida. Lawerence has been charged with going armed to the terror of the public and carrying a concealed weapon.
The officer shot in the incident was Officer Joseph Hart. Officer Hart was shot by an armed suspect as he was attempting to disarm Khyren Rashaad Lawerence, according to a news release. Officer Hart has been released from the hospital and is recovering from his injuries.
Police say the armed suspect that shot Officer Hart has been identified as Khalil Rashawn Lawerence of Jacksonville, Florida. Lawerence is currently hospitalized for injuries he sustained after being shot by an assisting HPD Officer following the shooting of Officer Hart.
Lawerence is currently listed in stable condition. Grand Jury Indictments have been issued for Khalil Rashawn Lawerence and will be served upon his release from the hospital. The charges include two counts of Attempted First Degree Murder and two counts of Assault with a firearm on a Law Enforcement Officer.
The officer involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave pending the results of an internal investigation.
Original Story (Posted: May 26, 2024):
HICKORY, N.C. – An officer was shot and a suspect is in critical condition after a shooting involving police at a bar in Hickory early Sunday morning, according to the Hickory Police Department.
Around 2 a.m., several officers responded to the Gateway Pub on Highway 70 Southwest in Hickory in regards to multiple gunshots being fired, according to police.
Upon arrival, officers faced an armed suspect and attempted to arrest him. While doing so, another gunman started firing at police, hitting one of the officers twice, officials said.
Police said a different officer returned fire and struck the second gunman, ending the exchange of gunfire. Life-saving measures were administered to the officer and the suspect.
The officer was transported to Frye Regional Medical Center and is expected to be okay, officials said.
The suspect was airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center and is in critical condition.
The names of anyone involved in the incident has not been released at this time.
The shooting involving the police officers is under investigation by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Meanwhile, the initial shooting at Gateway Pub is being investigated by the Hickory Police Department.
