GREENSBORO, N.C. – A North Carolina police officer lost his life after attempting to intervene in a robbery at a gas station. Greensboro Police Officer Philip Nix was shot while confronting three robbers who were attempting to steal beer from a Sheetz gas station in Colfax, N.C.
After confronting the suspects, Nix was shot and despite aid from other officers and a paramedic, he succumbed to his injuries at a nearby hospital. Following the tragic incident, the suspects, Jamere Foster, Z’quriah Blackwell, and John Morrison, were located and arrested the next day.
Foster, who is alleged to have been the shooter, is facing charges of first-degree murder, larceny, and conspiracy to commit larceny, and is being held without bond. Morrison faces charges of accessory after the fact to first-degree murder, larceny, and conspiracy to commit larceny, also being held without bond. Blackwell, who allegedly assisted Foster during his attempted escape, has been charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder and is held with a $500,000 bond.
According to an arrest warrant, Blackwell assisted Foster in his escape attempt and urged him to flee, reminding him that they needed to leave because he had just killed a cop. Additionally, the suspects discussed selling stolen merchandise and destroying evidence, such as a gun used in the homicide and the suspect’s vehicle registration plate.
The three suspects are set to appear in court on Tuesday to face the charges against them. The tragic incident has left the community in mourning as they remember Officer Nix as a loving husband, father, son, and brother, as stated by Greensboro Police Chief Thompson during a news conference.