4 law enforcement officers killed in shooting in North Carolina

Four law enforcement officers were killed and four others were wounded Monday in a shooting while serving a warrant at a home in Charlotte, North Carolina, police said.

The suspect, who opened fire on officers with a high-powered rifle as they arrived at the residence, was himself fatally shot during the gunfight, said the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

"The heroic actions of these officers are a testament to the dangers our law enforcement officers face daily. Today, some of our fellow colleagues made the ultimate sacrifice for the safety and protection of our community," the department said on X.

US President Joe Biden was briefed on the shooting and spoke to North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper to express his condolences and support for the community, the White House said.

“We must do more to protect our law enforcement officers,” Biden later said in a statement.

"That means funding them -- so they have the resources they need to do their jobs and keep us safe. And it means taking additional action to combat the scourge of gun violence.

"Now. Leaders in Congress need to step up so that we ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, require safe storage of guns, and pass universal background checks and a national red flag law. Enough is enough," he added.