CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The heartbreaking outcome of Monday’s shooting in east Charlotte is extremely rare, but sadly gun violence is not. Many local groups are seeking solutions to the violence – hoping to save lives through prevention and research efforts.
"We need to be thinking about evidence-based solutions to prevent this from ever happening again," said Apryl Alexander, director of UNC Charlotte’s Violence Prevention Center.
On Monday afternoon, CMPD said 39-year-old Terry Hughes opened fire on law enforcement officers from inside a house on Galway Drive while they attempted to serve a warrant.
The shooting killed four officers and injured five others.
UNC Charlotte’s Violence Prevention Center uses research to find evidence-based solutions for violence. The tragic event has prompted researchers to think about, "how this person had access to the mass amount of ammunition that they had," Alexander said, and, "is that somewhere where we can intervene with policy?"
CMPD reported after Hughes was killed, officers found an AR-style rifle, a handgun, and over 100 rounds of ammunition and magazines inside the house.
It's unclear at this point how Hughes obtained the weaponry, but Alexander said the shooting is prompting discussions of "red flag laws."
"What they do is remove guns from people who are an imminent danger, who've had a history of domestic violence, [or] violent felonies, under a temporary order in order to keep communities safe," Alexander explained.
The center hopes to receive funding this fall to research whether red flag laws prevent gun violence and how North Carolinians feel about the law.
"We have a strong access to illegal guns, we have access to guns in the city and in the state," noted Greg Jackson, CEO and founder of Heal Charlotte.
He said to prevent guns from falling into the wrong hands, education is key.
"We make sure that we give the young people and adults access to positive extracurricular activities, so they don't get involved into the negative activities on the streets," Jackson said. The nonprofit offers several programs to keep teenagers busy after school.
Jackson added that intervening at a young age makes a difference.
"Youth Violence is up," said Jackson. "So, we need to have more of an attention on youth and what they're doing with their time."
UNC Charlotte's Violence Prevention Center is also working to study the impacts of gun lock campaigns in the Charlotte area and how schools can educate students on healthy relationships to prevent future traumas.
Both groups noted it's imperative for the community, police, legislators, and government agencies to work together to reduce gun violence.