Greensboro police officer fatally shot; 3 suspects arrested

GREENSBORO, N.C. — An off-duty North Carolina police officer was fatally shot on Saturday, and police say three suspects have been arrested.

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The watch commander officer with the Greensboro Police Department was killed at a Sheetz gas station located in the 3200 block of Sandy Ridge Road in Greensboro, WRAL-TV reported.

3 suspects arrested; officer identified

Update 1:15 p.m. EST Dec. 31: Sunday morning, the Greensboro Police Department identified the officer who was killed Saturday evening as Sgt. Phillip Dale Nix, according to a Facebook post from the department.

“We ask that all parties respect the family’s privacy in this difficult time and more information about donations to the family will be shared on our social media pages in the coming days,” police said.

Police also confirmed that three people have been arrested in connection with Nix’s death. Arrested were Jamere Justice Foster, 18, Z’quriah Le’Pearce Blackwell, 18, and John Walter Morrison, 28, police said.

Foster has been charged with first-degree murder, larceny and conspiracy to commit larceny. He is being held without bond.

Blackwell has been charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder. Police say he is being held on a $500,000 bond.

Morrison was charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder, larceny and conspiracy to commit larceny. He is also being held without bond.

Police said additional charges may be added depending on the investigation.

“The Greensboro Police Department wants to thank the Winston-Salem Police Department for assisting in making these arrests,” police said.

-- Jessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Officer was off-duty sergeant

Update 10:51 p.m. EST Dec. 30: During a news conference on Saturday night, Greensboro police Chief John Thompson said another off-duty officer and a Guilford County paramedic at the gas station tried to save the off-duty officer who was shot, WRAL-TV reported. However, the officer died at an area hospital.

“We ask for prayers for the family of the fallen officer and our Greensboro PD family,” Greensboro Police Chief John Thompson said. “Tonight, the Greensboro Police Department lost one of our own.”

Thompson did not release information about the officer, but said he was an off-duty sergeant trying to stop a crime at the time of the shooting. The officer was also a 22-year veteran of the department, according to the television station.

Original report: Officials with the North Carolina Highway Patrol Center for Missing Persons said the incident occurred at 4:04 p.m. EST, according to WXII-TV.

The name of the deceased officer has not yet been released.

A Blue Alert was issued in response to the incident, but it was canceled around 7:52 p.m. EST, the television station reported. According to the Department of Justice, a Blue Alert is issued to aid in the apprehension of violent criminals who have killed, or seriously injured an officer in the line of duty, WRAL reported. The alert can also be issued when a suspect or suspects pose an imminent and credible threat to law enforcement.

Police said the suspects were in their early 20s, according to the television station. One was last seen wearing a black hoodie, black sweatpants, black shoes and a green or gray toboggan. The second suspect was last seen wearing a jean jacket with fur, gray sweatpants and tennis shoes, according to WRAL.

“Tonight, an officer with the Greensboro Police Department was shot and killed,” the North Carolina Fraternal Order of Police wrote in a Facebook post. “Please keep the family, friends, co-workers of this officer in your thoughts and prayers as they deal with this tragic loss. For all of the other law enforcement officers who are searching for the suspects, please be safe and lets get all those who were involved in custody.”