Patrol Officer Ernest Coleman, aged 31, was shot and killed on June 30, 1982, while working a uniformed off-duty security detail at a local convenience store in Charlotte, NC. He was shot by a man he had ejected from the store earlier in the evening for being rowdy. Officer Coleman was transported to the Charlotte Memorial Hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds five hours later.
The suspect, a 24-year-old man, was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison on
March 2, 1983. Officer Coleman had served with the Charlotte Police Department for 18 months and was survived by his three children.
The case was significant as it involved the shooting of a law enforcement officer while he was performing his duties, even though he was off-duty at the time. The suspect was found guilty and received a life sentence without the possibility of parole. The incident highlighted the dangers faced by law enforcement officers, even when they are not on active duty.
Officer Coleman's death was a tragic event that deeply affected his family, friends, and colleagues. His sacrifice is remembered and honored by those who knew him and by the community he served.
