CHARLOTTE — One year ago, four men got ready for work like many of us, but they didn’t make it home.
Those men were Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officer Joshua Eyer, U.S. Deputy Marshal Thomas Weeks, and Task Force Officers Sam Poloche and Alden Elliot.
On Tuesday, a memorial for Weeks was unveiled during a private ceremony at the federal courthouse.
And while it was a somber day, Goetz said there were a lot of smiles because that is what his family wanted.
Weeks’ wife, Kelly, said the ceremony was for their family, as well as law enforcement officers who are now a part of her extended family.
Kelly said she chose to hold the ceremony at 2 p.m. because that is when she received the call about her husband one year ago.
“Last year broke me and my girls, but it’s also made us stronger. I’ve learned to accept help, admit when I’m not okay, learn that I cannot control life, and never, ever give up on happiness,” Kelly expressed.
She said there was no other place she’d rather be or people she’d rather be with other than the ones who were in the room with her.
During the ceremony, Kelly was given what she said might be her most cherished gift, her husband’s badge that he was wearing during the incident.
“Of all the things I’ve gotten, this badge is probably one of the most special things because this was on him all the time and does represent who he was, so thank you,” said Kelly.
“For the western to want to be able to hear in here the shouts, the clapping, and the celebration, because that’s what this is, a celebration. I want Tommy to be able to hear it. I want that big smile that he had to go so far up his cheeks that it crosses his ears. He deserves it all. All the fallen deserve it,” said U.S. Marshal Terry J. Burgin.
THE STORIES:
- 4 officers killed, 4 shot during east Charlotte standoff
- US Marshals set up sniper inside neighbor’s home during SWAT situation
- ‘I was trapped too’: Neighbor captures video of shots fired during standoff in east Charlotte
- ‘Astronomical’: Investigators to watch many hours of footage from east Charlotte ambush
- 9 Investigates: East Charlotte Shooting Timeline
- CMPD: ‘No friendly fire’ or ‘sympathetic gunfire’ during deadly police shootout
Week’s office was inside the federal courthouse, which is why the ceremony centered around him.
Another memorial for Task Force Officers Sam Poloche and Alden Elliot was held in Raleigh on Tuesday as well.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department honored Officer Joshua Eyer at a Tunnel to Towers fundraiser over the weekend.
All four officers will be honored during National Police Week in Washington, D.C., and their names will be added to the fallen police officers memorial.
VIDEO: Wives of fallen officers find strength after east Charlotte ambush
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
