Officer Down: 25-Year-Old Police Officer Killed in Concord, NC
Concord, NC – Officer Jason Shuping, 25, was killed Wednesday night in a shootout with an armed suspect in a case that also saw the suspect killed and another officer, Kaleb Robinson, 23, shot.
Shuping had been with the department since 2019, his shooting causing an immediate outpouring of support for the Concord Police department and its officers. Governor Roy Cooper stated that he had spoken with Shuping’s parents and Concord Police Chief Gary Gacek to offer support and condolences.
The shooting occurred at Gateway Lane near Bruton Smith Boulevard close to Interstate 85 and Concord Mills Mall. Although little is known about the incident and the suspect, it is believed that the suspect is from the Charlotte area and is a convicted felon.
“This tragic and senseless loss of a member of our CPD family is devastating,” said Chief Gacek on Thursday morning. “There’s no playbook for this. CPD is comprised of a resilient bunch. We’re gonna get through this, we’re a big family. It’s gonna be tough. It’s gonna affect us in different ways at different times. But we got a huge support system. We are going to get through this.”
Today we are morning the loss of a beloved family member who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty late Wednesday night. Officer Jason Shuping served the citizens of Concord and the Concord Police Department since 2019. He will truly be missed by all. pic.twitter.com/qU6M5Us6rf
— Concord, NC Police (@ConcordNCPolice) December 17, 2020
Gacek said around 10:18 p.m., police were called to respond to a crash on the northbound ramp of I-85 at Exit 49. An off-duty Alcohol Law Enforcement agent found an unoccupied vehicle that had crashed into a guardrail. Soon after, a woman told the agent that a man had tried to take her vehicle while she was inside it near the Sonic restaurant on Gateway Lane.
Several officers responded and approached the suspect on foot in the Sonic parking lot. The suspect pulled out a gun and began shooting at the officers.
The two officers were hit and the suspect tried to flee in an SUV while still shooting at the other two approaching police. The officers struck and killed the suspect.
Authorities said Officer Robinson suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Governor Cooper said that Officer Shuping’s murder, combined with the murder of Officer Tyler Herndon in Gaston County, “reminds us that law enforcement officers have extremely difficult, sometimes dangerous jobs, and we owe them a debt of gratitude for their courage and service.”
